A powerful sequence of earthquakes struck east of the Lesser Antilles on Monday morning, shaking parts of the Eastern Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Guadeloupe.
According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC), the first tremor—a magnitude 6.7 quake—was recorded at 8:38 a.m. local time, at a depth of 12 kilometers, located near latitude 16.50 N and longitude 59.55 W, about 264 kilometers east-southeast of St. John’s.
It was followed minutes later by several smaller but significant aftershocks:
- Magnitude 5.2 at 8:46 a.m., depth 14 km
- Magnitude 6.1 at 8:55 a.m., depth 29 km
- Magnitude 5.4 at 9:26 a.m., depth 23 km
Residents across the northern Windward and Leeward Islands reported feeling the tremors, with light to moderate shaking in Antigua, Dominica, and Guadeloupe. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
The UWI-SRC said the quakes occurred roughly 220 to 270 kilometers east of the island chain, an area along the boundary between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates known for frequent seismic activity.
Authorities continue to monitor for potential aftershocks, and residents are reminded to remain vigilant and review their earthquake preparedness plans.
People who felt the earthquakes are encouraged to report their experiences to the UWI Seismic Research Centre at uwiseismic.com/connect/earthquake-feedback.