The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km in San Cristóbal Province in the southwest of the Dominican Republic, slightly after 7.15 am local time (slightly after 11.15 am GMT) on Tuesday 13 January 2015. An Earthquake of this size is large enough to present a potential threat to human structures, but on this occasion there are no reports of any damage or injuries.
The approximate location of the 13 January 2015 San Cristóbal Earthquake. Google Maps.
The Dominican Republic forms the eastern part of the island of La
Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles. The island has a complex
geological structure, with parts of it lying on three different tectonic
plates, and two plate margins running east-to-west across the island. The northernmost part of the island lies on the North American Plate.
This is divided from the Gonâve Microplate by the Septentrional Fault
Zone, which runs through Rio San Juan, along the north coast of the
Dominican Republic and Haiti, then across the Windward Passage and along
the south coast of Cuba. The Gonâve Microplate is moving east relative
to the North American Plate, pushed by the Mid-Cayman Spreading centre
to the west of Jamaica. To the south the Gonâve Microplate is separated from the Caribbean Plate
by the Enriquilo-Plantain Garden Fault Zone, which runs across Southern
Haiti and the Dominican Republic. To the west the fault runs through
central Jamaica. The Caribbean Plate is rotating clockwise, effectively
moving east relative to the Gonâve Microplate.
See also...
The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 4.5 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, slightly after...
The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 5.1...
The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 6.1...
Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.