Caribbean hit by magnitude-7.6 earthquake, tsunami threat in place for island nations, Mexico
Updated
A magnitude-7.6 earthquake has struck north of Honduras in the Caribbean, with tsunami waves possible.
The United States Geological Survey said the quake, initially reported as a magnitude-7.8, was centred 202 kilometres northeast of Barra Patuca in Honduras and 307 south-west of George Town in the Cayman Islands.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said there was a threat of tsunami waves along the coasts of Jamaica, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico and Belize, with 0.3 to 1-metre waves predicted.
The PTWC said a tsunami advisory was in effect for the US territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
The earthquake was very shallow, at only 10 kilometres deep, which would have amplified its effect.
The earthquake rattled windows in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, but no damage was immediately reported.
It was also lightly felt in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, north of Honduras, according to Mexico's civil protection director.
More to come.
Reuters/ABC
Topics: earthquake, disasters-and-accidents, puerto-rico, virgin-islands-us
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