A magnitude 5.7 earthquake, a moderate earthquake, rattled Puerto Rico early on Sunday morning at 1:16 a.m. local time.
The epicenter was 4 miles southeast of Espino, Puerto Rico, which is located on the western side of the island. The center of the quake was 68 miles west of San Juan, the capital and most highly populated city of Puerto Rico. Shaking was felt in the city, but there have been no reports of damage there.
According to AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Meghan Evans, with the magnitude and depth of the earthquake (67.4 miles beneath the surface), a tsunami was not anticipated.
In fact, because the earthquake occurred so deep beneath the surface, most of the damage should be light to moderate. However, the extent of damage from earthquakes often depends on many factors such as the soundness of structures in the cities and towns near the quake’s center.
Some portions of Moca, San Antonio, and Aguidillo, which are all cities located close to the quake’s center, lost power. In most areas, the power was quickly restored.
Hotels in Mayaguez, Aguadilla, Anasco, and San Sebastian told NBC News that there was no structural damage or injuries from the earthquake.