HIGÜEY, La Altagracia Province—According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 5.7 magnitude quake occurred close to Punta Cana Tuesday night.

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

Did you feel it?

You can let the USGS know if you felt the earthquake by filling out their Felt Report form. The agency has received 1337 responses on its online form so far, from people indicating they felt the quake. The USGS DYFI report indicates that light to moderate shaking was recorded, with people in Naguabo, Ceiba, Humacao, Santiago and Rio Grande among those who felt 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