7.7 magnitude earthquake off coast of Jamaica, felt in South Florida

Author: CBS Miami / WINK News
Published: Updated:
MGN

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake has struck south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

It was centered 125 kilometers north-northwest of Lucea, Jamaica.

It’s not immediately clear if there are damage or injuries. It was centered only about 6 miles beneath the surface of the water.

Carol Grantman, along with several other people, said the tremors lasted less than 30 seconds. Grantman lives in Punta Rassa.

“After I looked out the window and saw the water was still in the same place,” Grantman said, “then I thought, ‘ok, I’m good here on the couch so I think I’ll just stay here.'”

More than 80 miles south, people living in Plantation Island also reported feeling tremors.

“The whole cage was like a quivering, shaking, and it was moving a little bit across the floor,” Carol Sykora said. “It was a pretty large birdcage.”

The quake was so powerful that some people in Miami say they felt their building shake.

“I was sitting at my desk in Aventura, I felt motion similar to feeling light-headed,” said one person who felt his building shake, but didn’t want to be identified. He told CBSMiami.com, “It didn’t stop, and my coworker asked if the building was moving.  It lasted for another 20 seconds as we walked toward the stairwell.”

There are buildings in downtown Miami being evacuated as well, reportedly due to the buildings shaking from the earthquake.

CBS’s Chopper 4 flew over the buildings as hundreds of people were seen walking out onto the street.

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