'Minor' Earthquake Shakes Tortola and Sandy Ground Village In Anguilla Sunday

‘Minor’ Earthquake Shakes Tortola and Sandy Ground Village In Anguilla Sunday

ROAD TOWN, Tortola — A minor earthquake occurred Sunday afternoon northeast of the British Virgin Islands. No injuries were reported.

The 3.6 magnitude struck about 63 miles northeast of Tortola about 12:01 p.m. Sunday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) said.

The quake’s epicenter was located at latitude 18.83°N and longitude 63.76°W and occurred 24.86 miles underground, the EMSC said.

The earthquake hit 62 miles northwest of Sandy Ground Village, Anguilla (pop: 274); 63 miles northeast of Road Town (pop: 8,450),;71 miles northwest of Cul de Sac, Sint Maarten (pop: 8,470); 84 miles northeast of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas (pop: 20,000); 88 miles northwest of Gustavia, St. Barthélemy (pop: 5,990); 100 miles northeast of Sion Farm, St. Croix (pop: 20,600); 156 miles east of San Juan, Puerto Rico (pop: 418,100) and 160 miles northeast of Bayamón (Puerto Rico) (pop: 203,500).

On October 7, a 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck in open water about 38 miles east-northeast of St. Croix, the USGS said.

The nearest volcano to the quake is located on the island of Saba about 100 miles away.

No injuries or damage have been reported in the British Virgin Islands or Anguilla.

The estimated energy released by the quake was 1.6 x 1010 joules (4.4 megawatt hours, equivalent to 3.79 tons of TNT).