Magnitude 6.1 aftershock hits near Cayman Islands – USGS

A shallow 6.1-magnitude quake struck 53km off the coast of the Cayman Islands at the depth of just 10km. It came shortly after a 7.7 quake off Jamaica triggered a tsunami warning across the Caribbean.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said that it’s unlikely the aftershock, which was reported at 21:55 GMT on Tuesday, would trigger any tsunami waves, but did not rule out the possibility in its initial statement.

“Based on all available data… there is no significant tsunami threat from this earthquake. However… there is very a small possibility of tsunami waves along coasts located near the epicenter,” the PTWC said.

The initial magnitude of 6.5 reported by the US Geological Survey (USGS) was later downgraded to 6.1. The aftershock hit west of the first one, a 7.7 quake, which sent ripples across the region, prompting a tsunami alert for Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and several other countries. The tsunami warning was eventually lifted.

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