Strong Quake Hits Cayman Islands, No Damage Seen
Date: 16-Dec-04
Country: CAYMAN ISLANDS
The earthquake was centered about 20 miles (35 km) south-southeast of George Town, the capital of the Caribbean offshore finance center that was pounded by Hurricane Ivan in September.
Pictures fell from walls, store shelves rattled and swimming pools cracked when the earthquake struck at 6:20 p.m. local time (6:20 p.m. EST/2320 GMT), residents said, but there was no early sign of major damage to buildings in the British territory.
US Geological Survey spokeswoman Kathleen Gohn said the service had heard some early reports of damage but gave no details.
She said the last comparable earthquake of this magnitude in the area struck in 1900.
The Cayman Islands did suffer a smaller magnitude 6 earthquake on Sept. 9, just days before Ivan slammed over the island nation and caused damage estimated at nearly twice its annual economic output. A United Nations agency said this month the hurricane damage amounted to $75,700 per resident.
(Additional reporting by JoAnne Allen in Washington)