Caribbean hit by 7.6 magnitude earthquake

A magnitude 7.6 quake struck the Caribbean Sea late on Saturday evening, US monitoring agencies reported.

The earthquake hit at 6:23 p.m. local time (0123 GMT) in the middle of the sea about 130 miles (209 kilometers) off the coast of the Cayman Islands.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (six miles).

This is the largest earthquake in the region since 2021, when a 7.2 magnitude quake hit southwestern Haiti, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Tsunami advisories for Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands

A tsunami advisory issued for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands has been lifted, according to the US National Tsunami Warning Center. 

There were no alerts issued for the mainland US coast.

The government of the Cayman Islands issued a tsunami threat alert on social media. Residents have been asked to "move inland and to higher ground for their safety."

Edited by: Kieran Burke