Powerful 7.7 quake in Caribbean leads to evacuations in Miami, tsunami threat

A powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The quake was felt in Miami, and police said some buildings were being evacuated in the city.

The Miami Police Department said in a tweet that it was assisting firefighters with reports of vibrations in the Brickell and downtown areas. There were no reports of injuries.

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The Stephen P. Clark Center, which houses government offices for Miami-Dade County, was one of the buildings evacuated as a precaution.

The city had seen an influx of media and sports figures as it gears up for the Super Bowl on Sunday. The NFL said in a statement that the quake had not affected any of the sanctioned Super Bowl events at the Hard Rock Stadium and other venues around Miami.

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The quake was centered about 86 miles northwest of Montego Bay, Jamaica, and 87 miles west-southwest of Niquero, Cuba. It hit at 2:10 p.m. and the epicenter was 6 miles beneath the surface.

The earthquake near Jamaica has been the strongest recorded by Cuban instruments and was felt across the country, Bladimir Moreno, of the National Center of Seismologic Investigations of Santiago de Cuba, told NBC News. Moreno said it was felt in some parts of Havana and Old Havana.

The NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami threat for Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. The agency warned of waves up to 3 feet above the tide level.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.

Associated Press contributed.

source: nbcnews.com