NASSAU, The Bahamas - The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) advised that a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake occurred 83 miles northwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica at approximately 2:10pm on, Tuesday, January 28, 2020 at the depth of 6 miles which was felt in New Providence around 2:15pm.

The PTWC has given a possible Tsunami threat for Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, the Cay Islands and Jamaica.

“No Tsunami threat has been forecast for anywhere in The Bahamas,” the National Emergency Management Agency has confirmed. “And there are no reports of injuries or damage.”

Meanwhile, the Pacific Disaster Centre out of Hawaii is actively monitoring the region for potential impacts to population. According to United States Geological Survey (USGS) models, light to moderate shaking was experienced in Jamaica. The model indicates a low likelihood of casualties and damage from shaking. Residents should follow local emergency management authorities for more information pertaining to their communities.

Reports reaching NEMA are that buildings have been evacuated due to tremors being felt from the earthquake in areas around New Providence area. NEMA and the lead agency the Bahamas Department of Meteorology will be carefully monitoring any further earthquake advisories and tsunami threat messages from the PTWC and will advise the public accordingly.

Furthermore, the Hon Iram Lewis, the Minister State for the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction has contacted Executive Director of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Ronald Jackson who confirmed that CDEMA is closely monitoring the situation and will report any changes. The Minister also contacted officials on Inagua in the Southern Bahamas, and they confirmed no impact at this time.

ABOUT NEMA:

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA is an organization that anticipates the potential negative impacts of disasters and emergency situations and develops effective and efficient plans, procedures and systems to minimize such impacts, by relying on sound principles of disaster management, community participation and inter-agency collaboration.

Mission: To reduce the loss of life and property within the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, by ensuring that adequate preparedness and mitigation measures, and response and recovery mechanisms are established to counteract the impact of natural, man- made and technological hazards.

ABOUT THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTRE

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) is one of two tsunami warning centers that are operated by NOAA in the United States. Headquartered on Ford Island, HI, the PTWC is part of an international tsunami warning system (TWS) program and serves as the operational center for TWS of the Pacific issuing bulletins and warnings to participating members and other nations in the Pacific Ocean area of responsibility. It is also the regional (local) warning center for the State of Hawaii.

The other tsunami-warning center is the National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) in Palmer, Alaska, serving all coastal regions of Canada and the United States except Hawaii, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

The PTWC was established in 1949, following the 1946 Aleutian Island earthquake and a tsunami that resulted in 165 casualties in Hawaii and Alaska.