Jamaica: A magnitude-4.5 earthquake occurs north of Kingston at around 08:01 Aug. 16

A magnitude-4.5 earthquake occurred in southeastern Saint Mary Parish at around 08:01 Aug. 16. The epicenter was about 20 km (12 miles) north of Kingston. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and moderate-to-light shaking was probably felt in areas near the epicenter, including Kingston, as well as light-to-weak shaking throughout much of the rest of Jamaica. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

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, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.