Magnitude 7.6 Quake Strikes Western Caribbean

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the western Caribbean, prompting a tsunami advisory for the Cayman Islands, while Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were later cleared of any threat, Dennis Romero reported for NBC News.

The temblor occurred at 6:23 p.m. ET at a depth of about six miles, approximately 130 miles south-southwest of George Town, Cayman Islands.

The temblor occurred at 6:23 p.m. ET at a depth of about six miles, approximately 130 miles south-southwest of George Town, Cayman Islands, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. No tsunami was observed.

“This was a large earthquake, and we are thankful that no major damage has been reported across our islands,” Danielle Coleman, director of Hazard Management Cayman Islands, said in a statement.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System initially issued warnings for more than a dozen countries, with projected waves of up to three meters (10 feet).

However, it later confirmed that the threat had passed. Advisories were also issued for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands but were subsequently canceled, Thomas Mackintosh reported for BBC News.