A powerful 6.0 earthquake shook the eastern Caribbean Sea, and tremors were felt on several islands

Residents across Antigua, Barbuda, Dominica and neighboring islands reported strong shaking after a surface earthquake struck the eastern Caribbean Sea on May 16.

Written by Sasha Baptiste

Published on 2026-05-17 16:02:38

Updated on 2026-05-17 19:05:34

A strong earthquake struck the Eastern Caribbean yesterday morning, May 16, 2026. Initial automatic readings from the University of the West Indies Earthquake Research Center (UWI SRC) recorded a magnitude of 6.5 but the USGS later revised the scale to 6.0.

According to reports, the earthquake occurred around 10:50 AM EST (local time). The epicenter was located in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 80 km northeast of St. John’s, Antigua and 70 km east-southeast of Codrington, Barbuda.

The UWI SRC also indicated that it was a shallow earthquake and occurred at a depth of about 30 to 31 km.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) confirmed that there is no significant tsunami threat in the area. Four conditions that may cause a tsunami after an earthquake are:

The earthquake must occur underwater or cause material to move underwater or within the water.

The earthquake must have a magnitude of at least 6.5

The earthquake must penetrate the Earth’s surface and occur at shallower depths of no more than 70 km.

The earthquake must cause a vertical movement of the sea floor by several metres.

The earthquake was felt across a wide range of islands, with residents claiming it occurred from Puerto Rico in the north to St. Vincent in the south.

People in Antigua and Barbuda said the tremor was very strong and lasted for a long time. Local residents said items such as groceries fell off shelves but no structural damage was reported.

Moderate tremors were also felt in Anguilla, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Martin and the Virgin Islands.

The UWI SRC warned of more aftershocks in the coming days, some of which could be stronger than 3.5 magnitude. Authorities are also asking residents to remain calm and be prepared because the area is located near the very active tectonic boundary between the Caribbean and North American plates.

Many people share their experience on social media. “We felt it in Galle Bay. Our building shook for about 30 seconds, but it seemed like an eternity,” one individual said, while another reported, “It started with a loud roaring sound and then everything started swaying, and you could actually hear the ground moving.”

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