Honduras earthquake: tsunami watch in place for Caribbean
Honduras earthquake: tsunami watch in place for Caribbean
An earthquake has struck off the coast of Honduras. The earthquake, near the island of Roatan, has put countries along the Caribbean Sea coats on tsunami alert.
The Honduras earthquake measured 7.1 on the Richter Scale, reports The Daily Telegraph. No one is believed to have been injured by the earthquake, which hit 39 miles north east of Roatan.
According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, there is a possibility of a local tsunami affecting coasts up to 62 miles from the earthquake's epicentre. As a result, a tsunami watch is in place for Honduras, Belize and Guatemala. Other countries bordering or within the Caribbean Sea should also be aware.
The centre assured that a "destructive widespread tsunami threat does not exist, based on historical and tsunami data". However, it did advise that "there is a possibility of a local tsunami...regions near the epicentre should be aware of this possibility".
Areas further from the epicentre could see strong or unusual coastal currents. Small sea level changes in these areas may also be noticed.
The earthquake struck at 08.24 GMT at a depth of 6.2 miles under the sea. Roatan is a popular Caribbean resort known for its scuba diving, snorkelling and dolphin watching opportunities.
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