Caribbean Carry Nation are still rocking into the eventide on Wednesday after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake was reported in the Caribbean Sea between Jamaica and Cuba this morning , the US Geological Survey ( USGS)reports .
The epicenter of the first earthquake waslocated10 kilometers ( 6 miles ) deep and 125 kilometers ( 77 miles ) northwest of Lucea , Jamaica . The National Tsunami Warning Center issue astatementat the prison term , noting that earthquakes of this size are “ know to get tsunamis dangerous to shoreline near the beginning , ” but that there wasno dangerfor the US east coast or the Gulf of Mexico . Any tsunami threat to the region has now passed , according toNOAA .
Several additional earthquakes have shaken the region in the hour following the earthquake , including a 4.5 and 4.9 magnitude tremor located 71 kilometers ( 44 miles ) southeast of the Cayman Islands and a 4.7 magnitude seism northwest of Lucea , the USGSreports . Experts cover that the first earthquake was the result of strike - slick fracture between the North America and Caribbean tectonic plates . Strike - strip faultsare vertical fractures that mostly move horizontally – those that occur on a shift on which two block slither past each other , one of the most well - known being theSan Andreas Faultin Southern California .
Throughout the twenty-four hours , shake has been report in parts of far westerly Jamaica that is capable of do temperate to heavy damage . Moderate shaking on Grand Cayman Island and Christ Within shaking on Mexico ’s Yucatan Peninsula to the west was also reported . The effects were felt as far northerly as Florida , where buildings in downtown Miami shake as a result of the quake , prompting some evacuations throughout the city , the Miami Heraldreports .
It comes after neighbor Puerto Rico continues to tremble amid ongoingfataland annihilating seismic action fornearly a calendar month . Most recently , the US island territory experienced a5.0 magnitude earthquakenear the epicenter of other late seism . temblor are not rare for the realm , butAccuWeathernotes that most measure less than a 3.0 magnitude .
“ Five other earthquakes of M 6 or large have occur within 400 km of the January 28 , 2020 upshot over the preceding C . These include a M 6.8 seism in December 2004 , 280 km to the west of today ’s earthquake , and an M 6.2 outcome in May 1992 , almost 100 km to the eastern United States of today ’s earthquake , ” notes the USGS , adding that it is potential because of their location away from land and major population that none of the late earthquakes induce scathe or fatality .
It is not yet known whether the earthquake caused blanket damage or injuries , but societal spiritualist posts show the seism escape from buildings and infrastructure .
