7.6-Magnitude Quake Hits Caribbean, Tsunami Alert

A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean Sea on Saturday evening, triggering tsunami advisories for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, US monitoring agencies said.

The quake, centred about 209km north of Honduras, occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported. The US Tsunami Warning System initially issued a tsunami warning for parts of the Caribbean but later ruled out any threat to the US Atlantic or Gulf Coast.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of "hazardous tsunami waves" within 620 miles of the epicentre, potentially affecting coastal areas in the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, the Bahamas, Belize, Haiti, Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) later projected tsunami waves of 1 to 3 meters above tide level along parts of Cuba’s coast, with smaller waves expected along the shores of Honduras and the Cayman Islands.

While initial tsunami warnings were lifted for most regions, authorities in several Caribbean nations—including Honduras, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the Cayman Islands—advised residents in coastal areas to evacuate as a precaution. The Cayman Islands government urged people near the shore to move inland.

No major damage or casualties have been reported so far. Authorities continue to monitor the situation.