A 4.02 magnitude earthquake interrupted Monday breakfast and other morning activities for resident of the northern Virgin Islands.
The 7:33 a.m. earthquake was centered at 18.87 degrees north latitude and 64.3 degrees west longitude. This put it just 9.8 miles north northeast of Anegada in the British Virgin Islands and 54 miles northeast of Charlotte Amalie.
It happened 3.1 miles underneath the ocean floor. Jose Martinez, a geologist at the University of Puerto Rico Seismic Network in Mayaguez, said the earthquake was felt so strongly because it was at a shallow depth.
“We had a couple of reports from Road Town and one from St. John,” he said, referring to the Seismic Network’s request that resident report earthquakes when they feel them.
The earthquake did not generate any tsunami warnings for the Virgin Islands.
The initial report put the earthquake at a 4.4 magnitude, but Martinez explained that the report came from the Alaska Warning Center. There are often slight disparities in the numbers as the Seismic Network takes a closer look at the data. At 8:30 a.m., Martinez said the final report indicated the earthquake was a 4.02.
Residents can report a felt earthquake online at http://www.prsn.uprm.edu/English/DFI/reportesismos.php