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A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean, about 130 miles southwest of the Cayman Islands, which triggered a tsunami advisory for several islands nearby Saturday evening.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the tremor struck at 6:23 p.m. EST roughly halfway between the Cayman Islands and Honduras. This prompted the tsunami advisory to be issued for potential impacts to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
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If tsunami waves were to be generated, the earliest ones are forecast to arrive on Puerto Rico’s western coast at around 8:46 p.m. EST (9:46 p.m. local time). This is about 30 minutes before the first waves are forecast to arrive in the Virgin Islands.
In a later update, the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said any tsunami waves that hit the coasts of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are expected to be less than 1 foot. Tsunami waves of 3 to 10 feet are possible along the coast of Cuba.
There is not believed to be any tsunami danger to the U.S. Gulf or East coasts.
When a tsunami advisory is issued, nearby residents are urged to stay out of the water and move away from the shore. Generally, tsunami waves of 1 to 3 feet are possible for an area under an advisory.
This is a developing story; check back frequently for more information.
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