LOIC VENANCE / AFP
Many Guadeloupeans were woken up this Friday, January 20, by an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, as on this beach in Terre-de-Haut photographed in May 2022 (photo illustration).
ENVIRONMENT – A little oncoming ringer. Around 7:30 a.m. this Friday, January 20, an earthquake measuring between 5.9 and 6.2 on the Richter scale was felt by many residents of Guadeloupe, but without causing significant damage, according to the fire department. .
According to the Guadeloupe chain of the 1st, the epicenter was about 36 kilometers from Basse-Terre and 19 kilometers from Pointe-Noire, but several islands in the region were also affected by this earthquake, starting with Martinique. . Dominica, Saint Martin, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Barthélemy, Antigua and Barbuda and Anguilla also felt the tremor.
An hour after the earthquake, Guadeloupe firefighters said there was no “ongoing intervention related to this event.”
According to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Guadeloupe, reported by Guadeloupe as the 1st, the exact magnitude of this tectonic earthquake is 5.9 on the Richter scale, which is 27 km west-northwest of Bouillante, a city on the east coast of Guadeloupe, as you can see below.
⚠Preliminary info: M6.3 #earthquake (#earthquake) about 30 km W of #Pointe-Noire (#Guadeloupe) 4 min ago (local time 07… https://t.co/qBxC3AgRiT
—EMSC (@LastQuake)
But according to the Seismological Research Center of the University of the West Indies (UWI), the earthquake would have had a magnitude of 6.1, according to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) even 6.2.
No tsunami danger
Interior and Overseas Minister Gérald Darmanin reacted quickly after the shock was announced, which according to the first witnesses lasted “seconds”. Gérald Darmanin took the opportunity to ensure that the threat of a tsunami was averted. “No major damage has been identified at this time. Thank you to the emergency services for their responsiveness,” he added in a tweet.
A 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck near Guadeloupe without the threat of a tsunami. No damage at this time… https://t.co/grvxBhnk6X
— Gerald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin)
On social networks, the announcement made by the French TV channel prompted many residents of the affected area to testify in the comments.
@guadeloupela1e Also felt in Fort de France this morning
—rik (@rik32192676)
@guadeloupela1e Felt good, a good shake
— Bouba (@Bouba97125)
@guadeloupela1e Well felt with Sté Anne… MARTINIQUE. long seconds
— chicago vegas (@valamadinina)
It’s weird to be woken up by something like that… So we ended the stay with an earthquake! #Guadeloupe #earthquake https://t.co/VQDaKapJno
— Mo d’la Com (@graphiquecreamd)
Enough to appreciate the magnitude of the earthquake, which was felt as far away as Fort-de-France, the capital of Martinique, more than 200 kilometers south of Guadeloupe.
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