UPDATE: Cayman Islands no longer under tsunami alert

Update at 12:15 a.m. Wednesday

Hazard Management Cayman Islands issued an all clear at midnight on a tsunami threat from the Honduras earthquake.

It noted that minor sea level fluctuations of up to 12 inches above or below the normal tide may occur over the next few hours.

HCMI is urging people to “remain observant and exercise normal caution near the sea. Otherwise, no action is required.”

Update at 11:00 p.m. Tuesday

Hazard Management chiefs are indicating that there has been no sign of abnormal sea level rise around the coast of Cayman.

They are advising people to stay away from the coast as a precautionary measure, according to Dani Coleman, acting head of the unit.

Hazard Management Cayman Islands said the threat of flooding from a tsunami was unlikely.

“The tsunami gauge at the port in George Town has not registered any abnormal sea level rise and the threat from inundation from tsunami waves is considered very unlikely,” a spokesperson said.

“Forecast models initially suggested a 1 to 3 foot was possible but this does not appear to have affected the Cayman Islands. However, persons should stay off the coastline and beach areas, particularly the west coast, because tsunamis are a series of waves, and while the threat is very small, persons should exercise caution.”

Update at 10:40 p.m. Tuesday

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System has removed the Cayman Islands from its tsunami advisory map.

Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands remained under advisory, while Mexico, Cuba and Honduras were advised to remain on watch.

Original story

A category 7.6 earthquake struck at 9:51 p.m. about 190 miles southwest of George Town, Grand Cayman, the United States Geological Survey reported.

The quake, 134 miles from Brus Laguna, Honduras, hit at a depth of approximately 20 miles.

Hazardous conditions are possible in a 620-mile radius of the quake. Nations under alert for possible tsunami waves are the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Mexico, Honduras, Cuba, Belize, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System.

Waves may reach up to 3.2 feet above tide heights. The waves were expected to hit Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac around 10:30 p.m.