Barbados and Jamaica rocked by earthquakes

Barbados and Jamaica were both rocked by earthquakes just hours apart on Tuesday.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck near Barbados at around 11:26 AM local time. No immediate damage was reported.

The quake occurred some 30 miles (50 kilometers) south-southwest of the capital of Bridgetown at a depth of 24 miles (39 kilometers).

Posts on social media indicated that residents felt the tremors in Christ Church, St Philip, St John, St Michael, and surrounding areas.

The Seismic Research Unit of the University of the West Indies said the quake’s location also put it 160 km east of Kingstown, St Vincent, and 179 km southeast of Castries, St Lucia.

There was no risk of a tsunami, according to Barbados Meteorological Services.

Earthquakes are relatively infrequent in Barbados, with only an average annual of 13 tremors greater than magnitude 2.5, UWI said. Only four small recorded tsunamis have affected Barbados in history, with the most recent reported in 1939, the center said.

Another earthquake felt in Kingston

Across the Caribbean, Jamaica was rocked by a 4.2 magnitude earthquake, situated 21 km from Kingston.

According to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), the quake occurred at approximately 1:27 PM local time and was felt across the Kingston Metropolitan Area. There are no reports of damage or injuries.

This is the second time in a month that Jamaica has experienced an earthquake. On October 30, the island was jolted by a 5.4 magnitude quake that resulted in minor damage in some parts of the island. Some 70 aftershocks were recorded in the aftermath of the quake.

Read: Jamaica recorded 70 aftershocks following 5.4 earthquake