A mysterious seismic event recently shook the underwater world, leaving many puzzled by its origins and implications. The disturbance, with a magnitude of 7.6, was detected in the western Caribbean on a Saturday night, triggering a tsunami advisory for the Cayman Islands. Fortunately, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were ultimately deemed safe from the potential threat.
The earthquake occurred at 6:23 p.m. Eastern Time, originating about 6 miles beneath the earth’s surface and approximately 130 miles south-southwest of George Town in the Cayman Islands, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. Following the initial alert of a possible tsunami, the Cayman Islands government’s hazard management agency announced a reassuring “all clear” for its territories, which include Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. No actual tsunami was witnessed, easing concerns across the islands.
Director of Hazard Management Cayman Islands, Danielle Coleman, expressed gratitude that the earthquake did not result in significant damages across the islands. In the aftermath of the quake, there were warnings of a potential tsunami, prompting coastal residents to seek higher ground. Tsunamis, defined as deceptively powerful phenomena, have the capacity to generate waves that may be seemingly small but possess immense force, posing a significant risk to coastal regions.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System indicated that Cuba had also been under a similar threat, with potential tsunamis forecasted to reach heights between 3 to 10 feet. Fortunately, no active warnings or advisories were in effect overnight. Meanwhile, a National Weather Service tsunami advisory for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, although subsequently canceled, urged residents to exercise caution and avoid water activities along the west and south coasts.
Governor Jenniffer González Colón of Puerto Rico emphasized the importance of safety measures, advising individuals to stay out of the water until further notice, despite no imminent major impact expected. The USGS initially recorded the earthquake as an 8.0 before revising it to a magnitude of 7.6, attributing the seismic activity to a strike-slip fault intersecting the North America and Caribbean tectonic plates.
The USGS noted that earthquakes of such magnitude near the plate boundary were not uncommon, with about 10 temblors of similar intensity occurring in the region over the past century. Notably, a significant earthquake on Jan. 10, 2018, measuring 7.5, resulted in minor damages and a small tsunami. Fortunately, the remote location of these seismic events diminishes the potential for widespread destruction, despite the seismic activity they may generate.
