Residents across several Eastern Caribbean islands were jolted Saturday morning after a powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck near Barbuda, sending tremors across the region and sparking concern among citizens.
The earthquake occurred around 10:50 a.m. local time, with its epicentre located approximately 43.5 miles from Codrington in Barbuda. Initial reports indicated that the tremor was felt across a wide section of the Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the British and US Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten, Saint Martin, Anguilla, Venezuela and several neighbouring territories.
Social media users across the region quickly began sharing reports of shaking buildings, swaying furniture and brief moments of panic as the quake rippled through the Eastern Caribbean.
At this stage, there have been no immediate reports of major damage, injuries or tsunami threats linked to the seismic event. Authorities and seismic monitoring agencies continue to assess the situation.
The Caribbean sits along active tectonic boundaries and regularly experiences seismic activity. Regional experts have repeatedly urged citizens to remain prepared for earthquakes by practicing emergency response plans and securing homes and workplaces against potential hazards.
Saturday’s earthquake is among the strongest tremors felt in the region in recent times and has renewed discussions about earthquake preparedness across vulnerable island states.
