Magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes Caribbean Sea

ISTANBUL

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the western Caribbean late Saturday, triggering a tsunami advisory for the Cayman Islands.

The US Geological Survey reported that the tremor, which hit at 6.23 p.m. Eastern time (2323GMT), occurred 130 miles south-southwest of George Town, Cayman Islands, at a depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers).

The Cayman Islands’ hazard management agency issued a warning that urged coastal residents to move inland or to higher ground because of the tsunami threat.

The agency highlighted the deceptive nature of tsunamis, which can be relatively small in height but cause significant damage through the widespread and powerful flow of water.

A tsunami advisory for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands was later canceled, though authorities initially warned of potentially dangerous waves.