Dominican Republic: Magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurs in North Atlantic Ocean at around 03:24 Dec. 26

A magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurred in the North Atlantic Ocean, near the Dominican Republic, at around 03:24 Dec. 26. The epicenter was about 47 km (29 miles) northeast of Miches, Dominican Republic. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and light shaking was probably felt in the central and eastern Dominican Republic and western Puerto Rico. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible where shaking occurred.