The Western Caribbean was shaken awake by a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake on Saturday night. At exactly 7:23 pm AST., the seismic jolt became the strongest tremor to hit the area since Haiti’s devastating 7.2-magnitude event in 2021. According to available records, this quake ranks as the fourth strongest in the region since 1900 and the sixth strongest overall.

In the quiet moments that followed, many residents found themselves grappling not with immediate physical danger but with an unexpected source of news – TikTok. One user from Antigua captured the disbelief of the moment, posting, “I’m in Antigua rn, why am I hearing about this on TikTok?” Across the digital sphere, similar posts echoed a shared sentiment of shock and confusion: “everyone in the caribbean watching this like 👁👃👁 !!! ….why nobody tell us we were on alert ? 😳”

While official tsunami warnings were in place, they were discontinued before reaching all corners of the affected communities, leaving social media as the unintentional messenger in a crisis.

This time islands in the Eastern Caribbean like Antigua and Barbuda, were not under immediate threat from this quake but one understands how they would want to receive such news closer to home. Thankfully, US authorities responsible for monitoring the Western Caribbean seismic activity have reported no significant damage or casualties, and they continue to monitor the situation for any aftershocks.

Did International Media Reporting cause Unnecessary Panic?

In the immediate aftermath, international media outlets reported on the event by highlighting the magnitude of the earthquake and the issuance of tsunami warnings for several Caribbean nations. These reports often referred to the affected area collectively as “the Caribbean”. In contrast, local Caribbean news outlets provided more detailed coverage, specifying the countries and territories directly impacted by the earthquake and subsequent alerts. For instance, reports highlighted that the epicenter was near the Cayman Islands and detailed the specific measures taken by local authorities in nations like Mexico, where eleven municipalities along the Caribbean coast, including popular tourist destinations such as Cancún and Tulum, were placed on alert.

This difference in reporting underscores a common critique that international media often generalise events in the Caribbean, potentially leading to unnecessary panic or misconceptions about the scope of impact. By grouping diverse nations and territories under a single label, the unique circumstances and responses of individual countries may be overlooked. Local media, with their nuanced understanding of the region, tend to offer more precise information, thereby providing clarity and reducing undue alarm among residents.

To put the event in perspective, over the past decade, the area near Antigua and Barbuda has experienced around 260 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or higher, with one or two events in the 4.6 to 5 range each year. Such tremors have become almost a part of life here, yet this latest quake stands out due to its size and the way it unfolded under cover of dusk.

The Eastern Caribbean is a dynamic and ever-changing geological mosaic. Major structural shifts in the Earth’s crust are common, and all known sources capable of triggering tsunamis—whether from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides—are within striking distance. Experts warn that the most dangerous tsunamis in the area are typically generated by shallow earthquakes (less than 50 km deep) with magnitudes above 6.5.

According to the UWI Seismic Research Centre, there are two main groups of earthquakes that may generate tsunamis in the Caribbean:

• Local Earthquakes: These occur within the region and can produce local tsunamis, affecting nearby islands. In the past 500 years, about 50 local earthquakes had the potential to cause a tsunami, but only 10-20% of these actually resulted in significant flooding.
• Distant Earthquakes: These occur outside the region and can generate tele-tsunamis. While they pose a slightly lower threat than local events, notable sources include the Azores-Gibraltar fracture zone—the source of the well-documented 1755 Lisbon Earthquake and Tsunami—and the La Palma Volcano in the Canary Islands. (There’s even a PTWC animation of this historical tsunami that you can check out if you’re interested.)

Historically, the Caribbean has seen potentially destructive tsunamis at an average rate of 1–2 per century. However, the risk isn’t uniform throughout the region. The northeastern Caribbean—near Puerto Rico and Hispaniola—is more susceptible, with an average occurrence of about one every 50 years over the last 200 years. In contrast, sub-regions like the southern Caribbean have no historical records of destructive tsunami impacts. Overall, the recurrence rate is roughly one destructive tsunami per century from local earthquakes and one per 200 years from distant ones. In the past 500 years, there have been ten confirmed earthquake-generated tsunamis in the Caribbean Basin, with four causing fatalities and an estimated 350 lives lost.

NODS place tsunami zone signage Residents participate in NODS Tsunami drill 2019

If you’re wondering about what to do during an earthquake, the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) recommends the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” protocol—get under a sturdy piece of furniture, protect your head, and hold on. This advice is particularly crucial in public places like schools and workplaces.

Still, had a tsunami hit following Saturday’s quake, the nighttime conditions would have significantly amplified the danger. With residents not fully alert and many unaware of the official warnings, evacuation orders might have been delayed, putting coastal communities at grave risk. Emergency management experts note that swift and efficient communication is essential in such scenarios—especially when every minute counts for safe evacuation.

To enhance preparedness, the region conducts annual tsunami exercises. For example, every year they hold a tsunami exercise called CARIBE WAVE 2025. This year, On March 20, the annual Tsunami Regional Exercise will bring together multiple nations in a series of simulated scenarios. One drill will envision a tsunami triggered by an 8.0-magnitude earthquake along the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault Zone, while another will simulate an 8.5-magnitude event about 270 kilometers off the coast of Portugal. These exercises are critical rehearsals designed to improve communication, evacuation strategies, and overall emergency preparedness in a region where the earth is always in motion.