The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake at a depth of 10.0 km, beneath the Gulf of Honduras, roughly 55km to the northeast of the Honduran island of Guanaja,
slightly before 2.05 am local time (slightly before 8.05 am GMT) on Thursday 16 April 2020. The quake was
felt
across
much of northern Honduras, Belize, and the eastern Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, though there are
no reports of any major damage or injuries.
The approximate location of the 16 April 2020 Gulf of Honduras Earthquake. USGS.
The Earthquake occurred on the Swan Island Transform Fault, which separates the North American Plate to the North from the Caribbean Plate to the South. The Swan Island Transform Fault runs from Guatemala in the west to the Mid-Cayman Spreading centre in the east, with the Caribbean Plate moving eastward relative to the North American Plate. This creates stress along the margin, as
the rocks of the two plates continually stick together, then break apart
abruptly, creating shockwaves we experience as Earthquakes.
Witness
accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events,
and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit
organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.
See also...
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