An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck the Caribbean on Tuesday, the United States Geological Survey said. The quake hit 44 km east of the Great Swan Island in Honduras.
It rattled windows in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, but no damage was reported. The Mexican state of Quintana Roo, north of Honduras, also felt the tremors, Reuters quoted Mexico’s civil protection director as saying.
In Honduras, firefighters said some residents in southern parts of the country fled their homes after they felt the tremors. “We have reports that it was felt in the majority of the country, but we don’t have reports of damage,” Lizandro Rosales, director of Honduras’ Contingencies Commission, said.
Tremors were also felt in Belize’s capital, Belize City, but there were no reports of casualties or damage.
The earthquake struck at a depth of only 10 km, which may have amplified its effect. The authorities briefly issued a warning that tsunami waves may be possible within 1,000 km of the epicentre, covering Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and along the coasts of Jamaica, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico and Belize.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had predicted waves up to 3.3 feet in height, but withdrew its tsunami warning early on Wednesday.
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