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Strong earthquake hits Martinique | Strong earthquake hits Martinique |
(about 12 hours later) | |
A strong earthquake measuring 7.4 magnitude has hit near the island of Martinique in the eastern Caribbean, the US Geological Survey has said. | A strong earthquake measuring 7.4 magnitude has hit near the island of Martinique in the eastern Caribbean, the US Geological Survey has said. |
The earthquake struck at 1500 (1900 GMT) off the north-west coast of Martinique at a depth of 145.4 kilometres (90.4 miles). | The earthquake struck at 1500 (1900 GMT) off the north-west coast of Martinique at a depth of 145.4 kilometres (90.4 miles). |
Two people were injured, official Lorne Martin told Radio Martinique. | |
There have been unconfirmed reports that some buildings have collapsed in Martinique's capital, Fort-de-France. | There have been unconfirmed reports that some buildings have collapsed in Martinique's capital, Fort-de-France. |
The earthquake was centred 40km (25 miles) north-west of Fort-de-France, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. | The earthquake was centred 40km (25 miles) north-west of Fort-de-France, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. |
'Everything shook' | 'Everything shook' |
"For the moment, a building and a bank have collapsed," a police source in Fort-de-France told the French news agency AFP. | |
Callers to Radio Martinique described their fear as the quake struck. | Callers to Radio Martinique described their fear as the quake struck. |
"My house shook so hard I thought it was going to fall. The door, the windows, everything shook," the Associated Press reported one caller as saying. | "My house shook so hard I thought it was going to fall. The door, the windows, everything shook," the Associated Press reported one caller as saying. |
"I wouldn't expect major damage because the quake has some depth," Don Blakeman, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado told AP. | "I wouldn't expect major damage because the quake has some depth," Don Blakeman, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado told AP. |
There were also reports that the islands of Guadeloupe and Dominica had felt the quake strongly. | There were also reports that the islands of Guadeloupe and Dominica had felt the quake strongly. |
Residents on islands further across the eastern Caribbean - as far away as Puerto Rico to the north and Trinidad and Tobago to the south - told the USGS that they had felt the quake. | Residents on islands further across the eastern Caribbean - as far away as Puerto Rico to the north and Trinidad and Tobago to the south - told the USGS that they had felt the quake. |
The tremor was also felt hundreds of miles away in South America. | The tremor was also felt hundreds of miles away in South America. |
In the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, 500 miles (800km) from the epicentre, some people evacuated office buildings, Reuters news agency reported. | In the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, 500 miles (800km) from the epicentre, some people evacuated office buildings, Reuters news agency reported. |
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