New Quake Near Caymans, South of Cuba

by Circles Robinson

HAVANA TIMES, Jan. 20 — The Cayman Islands trembled from a 5.8 earthquake on Tuesday, with the center located some 40 miles from the capital George Town, and some 6.2 miles deep in the Caribbean Sea.

US geologists reported that the aftershocks were felt in both Cuba and Miami.

While no damage has been reported, the quake —coming a week after the major earthquake devastated the Haitian capital of Port au Prince—, sent Cayman residents fleeing their homes Tuesday morning at 14:23 GMT, reported the Straitstimes.com.

“No injuries have been reported and there have been no reports of damage to buildings.  Business and schools have remained open and residents have resumed their normal daily routines,” the Cayman Islands department of tourism said in a statement quoted by AFP.

Cuba is the leading provider of medical assistance in Haiti with over 450 doctors working in the country along with a similar number of Haitian physicians who studied medicine on scholarships in Cuba.  Over 50 fifth year Haitian med students studying in Cuba have also interrupted their studies to travel home and join the emergency effort.

On Wednesday a powerful aftershock of 6.1 on the Richter Scale hit Haiti, leading to increased tension in Port au Prince.  There were no immediate reports of deaths or further damage in the city practically levelled by the Jan. 12 quake.