Jamaica earthquake: Huge 7.7-magnitude tremor hits off island's coast

Authored by independent.co.uk and submitted by Amy-vi-Britannia

Warnings of a “hazardous” tsunami were issued for parts of the Caribbean after a huge earthquake struck.

The US Geological Survey said the 7.7-magnitude quake hit off the northwest coast of Jamaica, prompting the US Tsunami Warning Center to issue an alert for Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands.

It was so big that schools in Jamaica and buildings in Miami – 580 miles away – were evacuated.

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The centre of the quake was a relatively shallow six miles beneath the surface of the ocean, prompting fears of damage. Shallower earthquakes tend to be more destructive.

It struck 86 miles northwest of Montego Bay​ in Jamaica, and shaking was reported across nearby islands, according to Accuweather.

The first tremor was followed by a series of strong aftershocks, including one measured at magnitude 6.1.

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AFP via Getty 33/50 27 December 2019 The Panamanian-flag cargo ship "Zelek Star" is pictured after being washed up on a beach in the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashdod during a storm AFP via Getty 34/50 26 December 2019 Monks wearing solar filter glasses watch the "ring of fire" solar eclipse at the Gaden monastery in a Tibetan colony in Teginkoppa, India AFP via Getty 35/50 25 December 2019 A participant in a Darth Vader costume jumps into the water during the 110th edition of the 'Copa Nadal' (Christmas Cup) swimming competition in Barcelona's Port Vell. The traditional 200-meter Christmas swimming race included more than 300 participants on Barcelona's old harbour AFP/Getty 36/50 24 December 2019 Children dressed as Santa Claus during celebrations on Christmas Eve at a school in Amritsar AFP via Getty 37/50 23 December 2019 Palestinians wearing Christmas costumes distribute gifts to children seated atop the rubble of a house demolished by Israel, reportedly for not being built with official licensing in the village of al-Khader, west of of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty 38/50 22 December 2019 A journalist gets pepper-sprayed after a heated exchange with police during a rally in Hong Kong to show support for the Uighur minority in China. 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The group rallied in front of the landmark Sydney Opera House demanding urgent climate action from Australia's government, as bushfire smoke choking the city caused health problems to spike AFP via Getty 46/50 14 December 2019 Protesters block a road after setting buses on fire during a demonstration against the Indian government's Citizenship Amendment Bill in Howrah, on the outskirts of Kolkata, India. Protests against a divisive new citizenship law raged on as Washington and London issued travel warnings for northeast India following days of violent clashes that have killed two people so far AFP via Getty 47/50 13 December 2019 A huge cloud of black smoke raises over a burning warehouse in the southern outskirts of Moscow. There were no immediate reports of any casualties, but one fire fighter was injured and 25 ambulance cars and a special air testing vehicle are at the site, they added EPA 48/50 12 December 2019 A slow shutter speed shot shows oarsmen in traditional costume rowing during the Royal Barge Procession to mark the conclusion of the Royal Coronation ceremony, on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand. The ceremony honours King Rama X after his complete accession to the throne EPA 49/50 11 December 2019 A boy inspects his damaged home after after an attack near the Bagram Air Base in Kabul, Afghanistan, A powerful suicide bombing targeted an under-construction medical facility near the main American base north of the capital AP 50/50 10 December 2019 Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg arrives to participate in the event "Unite behind the science" within the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid AFP via Getty

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned waves as high as a metre could hit the coasts of Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, but issued another message around an hour later saying the danger had passed.

There have been no reports of casualties or serious damage as a result of the tremors.

O’Raine Thomas, from Jamaica, said: “I’m home napping and suddenly felt the house shaking for at least a minute. It felt so unreal that I actually thought I was dreaming.

“I took up my phone later and realised on social media that it was actually an earthquake.”

Iana Garcia, a student who was Miss Universe Jamaica 2019, told The Independent: “This is the most serious earthquake I’ve ever felt, and that goes for many people here.”

Phone lines were congested, she added.

“We’ve been put on tsunami watch ... I’m not sure how to prepare. We’ve never had something like this.”

This is the most serious earthquake I’ve ever felt, and that goes for many people here Iana Garcia

Akua Walters, a student at the University of the West Indies, told The Independent that exams were under way when the earthquake hit, forcing an evacuation of a six-storey building on the Kingston campus with around 300 students.

Independent news email Only the best news in your inbox Enter your email address Continue Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid Email already exists. Log in to update your newsletter preferences Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive morning headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts by email Update newsletter preferences

“We all evacuated at the time the tremors were felt,” he said. “Students were panicking and rushing for the exits.”

The quake was also felt further east in Cuba, including at the US Navy base Guantanamo Bay, where a journalist covering a trial tweeted: “The earth is literally shaking here in the Camp Justice press room. Tremors rocking the floor and desk.”

Disaster-management authorities in the Cayman Islands on Twitter urged people to move away from coastal areas and said those in low-lying areas should “evacuate vertically” in multi-storey buildings.

The quake could be felt strongly in Santiago, the largest far-eastern Cuban city, according to Belkis Guerrero, who works there.

“We were all sitting and we felt the chairs move,” she said. “We heard the noise of everything moving around.”

In the Cayman Islands, roads cracked and what appeared to be sewage spilled from cracked mains.

The islands experience so few earthquakes that newsroom staff at the Cayman Compass were puzzled when it hit.

“It was just like a big dump truck was rolling past,” said Kevin Morales, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief. “Then it continued and got more intense.”

here were also reports on social media of sinkholes opening up on Grand Cayman Island.

EmergencyTaco on January 28th, 2020 at 21:06 UTC »

7.7M Earthquake recorded 125km North-Northwest of Lucea, Jamaica

Depth: 10km

Estimated Economic Loss: Less than $1m USD - 97% $1m-10m USD - 3%

Note: No reports of damage as of 3:35 PST.

Estimated Fatalities 1 or fewer - 65% 1-10 - 30% 10-100 - 4% 100+ - 1%

Note: No reports of injuries/deaths as of 3:35 PST.

A tsunami warning has been issued for countries within 300km of the epicentre.

Affected countries: Jamaica, Cuba, Cayman Islands

Further Info: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/pt20028001/executive

Sorry, I’m no /u/TheEarthquakeGuy but I did my best.

EDIT 2:45 PST: Tsunami danger has mostly passed

EDIT 3:35 PST: Tsunami warning has been officially withdrawn.

tk5ellie on January 28th, 2020 at 20:04 UTC »

Checking in from Cayman. There was some serious shaking in the buildings. Looks like infrastructure damage isn’t too bad though outside a few sink holes.

reverendrambo on January 28th, 2020 at 19:58 UTC »

Edit 5: The tsunami threat has largely passed

https://ptwc.weather.gov/ptwc/product_listing.php?region=3

Copied from another thread that got removed

BREAKING: Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issues tsunami alert for Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Cuba

https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1222240166078750720?s=19

Edit:

BREAKING: Magnitude of earthquake off Jamaica and Cuba upgraded to 7.7 - USGS

https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1222241536664055810?s=19

Edit 2: NO tsunami threat to US Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico

https://twitter.com/ENSAlerts/status/1222242458249179136?s=19

Edit 3:

UPDATE: Tsunami warning center says tsunami waves reaching 1 to 3.2 feet (0.3 to 1 meter) above tide level are possible for parts of Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Jamaica

https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1222246400362192896?s=19

Here's a better source for this:

https://ptwc.weather.gov/ptwc/product_listing.php?region=3

Edit 4: NO tsunami danger for the U.S. East Coast.

https://nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pid=202001281946-PAAQ-WEXX32-TIBATE