CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) said there was “no tsunami threat” from a 4.2 magnitude earthquake that struck west of Puerto Rico this morning.
VITEMA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake occurred about 24 miles west of Rincon, Puerto Rico about 10:13 a.m. today. It was an aftershock of a tremor that hit near the Dominican Republic a minute earlier.
“Based on all available data, there is no tsunami threat to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or the British Virgin Islands from this earthquake,” VITEMA said. “People may have experienced shaking from the earthquake.”
Just before it at 10:12 a.m. today, an 4.7 magnitude earthquake was recorded by USGS about 5.5 miles away from Guaymate, Dominican Republic.
The earthquake that struck near Puerto Rico was an aftershock from the jolt that hit near the Dominican Republic.
* THE FOLLOWING PARAMETERS ARE BASED ON A PRELIMINARY RAPID
ASSESSMENT OF THE EARTHQUAKE AND CHANGES MAY OCCUR.
* MAGNITUDE 4.2
* ORIGIN TIME 1013 AM AST DEC 22 2018
* COORDINATES 18.4 NORTH 67.6 WEST
* DEPTH 20 MILES / 33 KM
* LOCATION ABOUT 23 MILES WEST OF PUERTO RICO
