On Saturday night, a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the middle of the Caribbean Sea, sending shockwaves through the region and triggering temporary tsunami warnings for several coastal areas. The earthquake occurred just before 6:30 p.m. local time, approximately 129 miles south-southwest of George Town, Cayman Islands, at a depth of about 6 miles, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Fortunately, there is no tsunami warning for Aruba, as confirmed by the Crisis Management Office (CMO). While the tremors were felt in areas such as the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and Honduras, Aruba remains unaffected by any tsunami threat.
The earthquake was caused by strike-slip faulting near the boundary between the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates, USGS reported. Although initial tsunami alerts were issued for parts of the Mexican coastline, they were lifted after two hours, easing concerns across the region.
While we are incredibly grateful that Aruba is not under threat, our thoughts and prayers are with the neighboring islands and communities that were impacted by this event. May they find strength and safety in the aftermath of the earthquake.
Aruba remains vigilant and prepared for any potential emergencies, but for now, we can breathe a sigh of relief knowing there is no danger to our One Happy Island.
