SAN JUAN — A 4.2 magnitude earthquake occurred early this morning 7.5 miles west of Ponce, the United States Geological Survey reported.
The “moderate” quake hit at a shallow depth of 12 miles beneath the epicenter near Ponce, Segundo Barrio, Puerto Rico, at 1:18 a.m. today. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their reports.
A second report was later issued by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), which listed it as a magnitude 4.2 earthquake as well.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Tallaboa (pop. 1,200) located 3 km from the epicenter, Guayanilla (pop. 5,200) 6 km away, Peñuelas (pop. 6,800) 6 km away, Ponce (pop. 152,600) 12 km away, Yauco (pop. 20,300) 12 km away, Adjuntas (pop. 5,100) 18 km away, Guanica (pop. 9,200) 18 km away, Sabana Grande (pop. 9,000) 25 km away, Juana Diaz (pop. 9,400) 25 km away, Jayuya (pop. 3,600) 28 km away, Utuado (pop. 9,800) 29 km away, and Villalba (pop. 4,600) 29 km away.
Other towns or cities near the epicenter where the quake might have been felt as very weak shaking include Bayamon (pop. 203,500) located 75 km from the epicenter, and Puerto Rico (pop. 418,100) 84 km away.