7.6 earthquake causes tsunami scare across region

Concerns about a possible tsunami affecting the Virgin Islands have been eased following a major earthquake that struck the Caribbean on Saturday evening, February 8.

The earthquake, which had a magnitude of seven point six, occurred twenty miles north of Honduras and one hundred thirty miles southwest of the Cayman Islands shortly after 7:00 p.m. local time.

As a result, several Caribbean countries, including the British Virgin Islands (BVI), were placed under a tsunami advisory.

“Based on all available data, there is a tsunami threat to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, with sea level fluctuations and strong currents that could pose hazards along coasts, beaches, harbours, and coastal waters,” the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) stated following the seismic event.

This advisory has since been canceled, according to a subsequent advisory from the DDM.