7.6 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Caribbean Southwest of Cayman Islands, Tsunami Warnings Issued

Mexico: An earthquake of magnitude-7.6 on the Richter magnitude scale hit the Caribbean Sea southwest of Cayman Islands at 6.23 pm (local time) on February 8, according to the US Geological Survey.

Its epicenter was located about 130 miles (209 kilometers) south-southwest of George Town, the capital of the Cayman Islands.

The earthquake shook parts of the Caribbean, and authorities quickly issued tsunami warnings in response to the threat of hazardous waves. People living near coastlines in several Caribbean islands and Honduras were urged to move inland or avoid beaches as a precaution

Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of damage, but local authorities in the affected regions remain on alert.

Tsunami Warnings Issued

The US National Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that no tsunami threat was issued for the mainland United States. However, it issued a tsunami advisory for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, where residents were advised to stay vigilant for potential waves.

The Cayman Islands government also issued a tsunami threat alert, encouraging residents living near the coastline to move to higher ground.

According to the International Tsunami Information Center, hazardous tsunami waves are possible within the next three hours along various coasts in the Caribbean.

These areas include the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, the Bahamas, Haiti, Turks and Caicos, Belize, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, and the US Virgin Islands. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and advising residents to stay updated on warnings.

And in Honduras, authorities said are no immediate reports of damages, but urged its residents to stay away from beaches in the next few hours, according to local media.

Residents of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and other affected regions should stay informed and heed any official tsunami warnings issued by local authorities.