7.6 magnitude earthquake in Caribbean, tsunami warning

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake occurred at 6:23 p.m. on February 8 local time, more than 30 kilometers north of Honduras.

Based on available data, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are at risk of tsunamis, as fluctuating sea levels and strong currents can pose dangers along shorelines, beaches, in harbors and in coastal waters, CNN reported.

PHOTO: US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

According to the US National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC), dangerously high sea levels and strong currents could begin in the two territories around 9 p.m. on February 8. People in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are advised to move away from beaches and away from ports and marinas. According to the AP, the NTWC said there is no risk of a tsunami.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a hazardous tsunami warning for areas within 1,000 km of the epicenter, including many Central American countries.

According to initial information from the USGS, the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth. The cause of the above-mentioned strong earthquake is under investigation, while weather agencies continue to closely monitor to assess the tsunami threat.

The most notable earthquake in recent years in the Caribbean region was in August 2021, when a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Haiti killed more than 2,000 people, injured more than 12,000, and destroyed 130,000 homes, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).