7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Off The Shores of Cuba

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management

On Tuesday January 28, 2020 at 2:10 pm, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred in the Cuba region at a depth of 10km/6 miles 19.3 Degrees North and 78.8 Degrees West which impacted the entire Island.

Based on all available data from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre the Tsunami threat period has passed.

Students from several schools in western Jamaica were impacted. One school was closed because previous inspections by The Jamaica Fire Bridge had detected structural weakness. As a precautionary measure after the Earthquake the school was dismissed early.

At least two parishes in Western Jamaica have reported structural damage to buildings.

All Municipal Corporations across the Island along with the Jamaica Fire Brigade and the National Works Agency have been collecting information regarding any structural damage.

The Hon. Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development has activated the Parish Disaster Committees in all the western parishes. The ODPEM in collaboration with the Meteorological Service of Jamaica and the Earthquake Unit will continue to monitor activities around the island and keep the nation informed. The Minister is urging persons to call the ODPEM at 876-906-9674 or their nearest Municipal Corporation to report any damage that may have occurred.

Additional Information

 A tsunami is a series of waves. The time between wave crests can vary from 5 minutes to an hour. The hazard may persist for many hours or longer after the initial wave.
 Impacts can vary significantly from one section of coast to the next due to local bathymetry and the shape and elevation of the shoreline.
 Impacts can also vary depending upon the state of the tide at the time of the maximum tsunami waves.
 Persons caught in the water of a tsunami may drown… Be crushed by debris in the water… Or be swept out to sea.

Source: JIS