Barbados struck by 6.5 magnitude earthquake

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck northeast of Barbados early Tuesday, jolting thousands from their sleep but causing no reported damage or casualties.

The earthquake was felt in the nearby French speaking Caribbean island of Martinique.

Barbados Police Constable Chris Greg told reporters by telephone that the earthquake was felt throughout the island-nation.

“It was strong,” he said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at a depth of 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) at 5:27 a.m. (4:27 a.m. EST) and was centered some 170 kilometeRs (106 miles) northeast of Bathsheba, Barbados.

According to Judy Thomas – the Director of the Barbados Emergency Management Department, thousands of people felt the earthquake but that it did not last very long. She said she has received no reports of injuries or damage to infrastructure, and that there is no threat of tsunami.

“We are advising people to go about their business as usual,” she said.

The eastern Caribbean was last struck by a powerful earthquake in 2007, when a magnitude 7.4 quake centered just northwest of Martinique’s coastline severely damaged some buildings on the island.

Source: Associated Press