There are fears of a tsunami following an earthquake of 7.7 on the Richter scale which has been recorded just 140km from Montego Bay. The earthquake has affected The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Haiti, Honduras, and Cuba.
The earthquake hit at 2:10 p.m. and the epicenter, located in the Caribbean Sea, was a relatively shallow 10 kilometres beneath the surface, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
There have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries although the impact was so big that schools in Jamaica and buildings in Miami, 580 miles away, were evacuated in order to ensure the safety of the local residents.
The earthquake has occurred on the same day that quakes hit Greece and Turkey.
Each year around 20 or so earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 7 on the Richter scale are experienced throughout the world.
Some of the Caribbean islands have been warned by The National Weather Service that they are in danger of being hit by a tsunami.
Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Cayman Islands and Jamaica all risk waves of up to a metre.
The International Tsunami Information Center released a statement saying, “Hazardous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts.”
