UPDATE: Three aftershocks rocks Cayman Islands area. Fire & Public Works responding to incidents | SOUALIGA NEWSDAY

CARIBBEAN/CAYMAN ISLANDS – There has been three aftershocks after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday afternoon. The aftershocks range from 4.5 to 4.9 magnitude.

According to information coming from the Government of the Cayman Islands, a preliminary damage assessment of the islands is being carried out.

The Fire Dept. and Public Works Dept. are responding to a number of incidents; structural damage has occurred on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac; several sinkholes have been observed in different areas; no confirmed reports of injuries; Cayman Airways has suspended all non-essential services for Tuesday; two shelters have been opened, the Red Cross Shelter on Huldah Avenue as a precaution, and the Aston Rutty Civic Centre is open on Cayman Brac.

ARCHIVE – The NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has discontinued its tsunami threat warning adding that the tsunami threat from this earthquake has passed.  They pointed out that minor sea level fluctuations of up to one foot above and below the normal tide may continue over the next few hours in some locations.

Based on information provided earlier below, and to add to that, no tsunami was observed on the gauge at Port Royal, Jamaica or at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and based on these, the tsunami threat has passed.  

ARCHIVE – According to NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center: tsunami waves have been observed in the capital city of Cayman Islands, Georgetown of 0.4 feet.  

News coming out of the Cayman Islands says that people ran out of homes, office buildings into the streets; telephone service seems to be down; sewage system along the road network in different areas have issues; Cayman Hazard Disaster Management Organization has requested people near the beaches to move inland and to higher ground.  Belize, Honduras and Mexico have now been included in the tsunami threat warning by the NWS.

The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii, has issued a “Tsunami Threat Message” stating that based on preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 km of the earthquake epicenter along the coasts of Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Cuba.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake occurred around 3.00pm at a depth of six miles between Jamaica, the Cayman Islands and Cuba.

Soualiga Newsday (www.soualiganewsday.com) will keep you informed as more official information becomes available.

Source: Souliga Newsday https://www.soualiganewsday.com/index.php?option=com-k2&view=item&id=29470:update-three-aftershocks-rocks-cayman-islands-area-fire-public-works-responding-to-incidents&Itemid=451

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