St. Maarten was shaken up by an earthquake close to midnight on Thursday night, according to press reports from Philipsburg.
Residents say they were surprised when they experienced an earth tremor just after 11:30 PM local time that lasted for several seconds.
The earthquake occurred just before midnight and measured 4.5 on the Richter Scale.
The epicenter was west of the island of St. Eustatius.
Journalist Samuel Allen said it was unlike any other he had experienced.
“I thought it was a big container truck coming down the road, it was really loud, it was a loud rumbling noise. That’s not normal. After hearing the rumbling noise, for such a long time, I said that this is different,” Mr. Allen said.
The Seismic Research Unit of the University of the West Indies said these kinds of tremors are normal.
They said that in the Leeward Islands there are on average 26 earthquakes a year ranging in magnitudes between two and six, with earthquakes greater than six occurring only very few decades.
There have so far been no reports of injury or damage from this earthquake.
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