Antigua – Caribbean countries rattled by powerful earthquake

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 jolted several Caribbean islands on Friday but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the University of the West Indies (UWI) said that the quake, which occurred at 1:43 p.m. (local time) was felt in Barbuda, St. Kitts and St. Maarten.

It said it was located Latitude: 18.71N, Longitude: 61.43W and at a depth of 10 kilometres (KM).

“The event occurred north of Barbuda and was reported felt in St. Kitts and St. Maarten,” the SRC said.

In recent weeks, several Caribbean countries have been rattled by earthquakes and in January n earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6 jolted of magnitude 7.6 the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa as well as the Mexican state of Quintana Roo and Belize.

Last month, Trinidad and Tobago was rattled by two earthquakes within a one week period. They measured 4.5 and 4.7 respectively.