HIGÜEY, La Altagracia Province — A 5.7 magnitude quake was detected near Punta Cana Tuesday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor struck the region at 02:45 UTC (21:45 local time). It occurred at a depth of 68 km with the epicenter located approximately 77 km north-northeast of Punta Cana.

Did you feel it?

If you experienced the earthquake, you can submit a report via the USGS Felt Report form. The agency has received 1337 responses on its online form so far, from people indicating they felt the quake. According to the USGS DYFI report, light to moderate shaking was registered and residents in cities such as Naguabo, Ceiba, Humacao, Santiago and Rio Grande reported experiencing the tremor.

Impact and estimated losses

Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.

Structure information summary
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are mud wall and informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) construction.

Historical information
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake 147 km southwest of this event struck UK on June 24, 1984 (UTC), with estimated population exposures of 2,981,000 at intensity VI and 326,000 at intensity VII, resulting in a reported 5 fatalities.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey