A powerful 6.5 magnitude earthquake shook Antigua and Barbuda and surrounding islands Saturday morning, according to Antigua.news, which first reported the seismic event based on preliminary monitoring data.
The quake struck at approximately 10:50 a.m. AST, with its epicentre located roughly 80 kilometres northeast of St. John's. Seismic data placed the event at coordinates of approximately 17.39° North latitude and 61.18° West longitude, at a depth of 31.3 kilometres beneath the earth's surface.
Residents across the island felt prolonged shaking and quickly turned to social media to share their experiences in the moments following the tremor. As reported by Antigua.news, there were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage in the early aftermath of the earthquake.
The Eastern Caribbean sits along the boundary between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates, making the region no stranger to seismic activity. Nevertheless, earthquakes of this magnitude routinely generate widespread concern across the area.
The tremor was felt across a broad stretch of the region. Affected countries and territories include Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Saint Barthélemy, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Venezuela, and the Caribbean Netherlands.
Authorities are expected to continue monitoring the situation and issue further updates as necessary.
