KINGSTON — A magnitude-5.4 earthquake occurred in Portland Parish in eastern Jamaica at around 10:57 a.m. on Monday. The epicenter was about 2.5 miles (4 km) west-northwest of Hope Bay.
The tremor occurred at a depth of about six miles (10 km), and moderate to very strong shaking was reported near the epicenter, as well as light shaking throughout much of Jamaica, parts of southeastern Cuba, and far southwestern Haiti.
There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; some minor to moderate damage is possible near the epicenter. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Moderate-to-light aftershocks are likely over the coming days.
Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake’s epicenter.