Trinidad rattled by two earthquakes

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Two earthquakes, one with a magnitude of 5.1, rattled Trinidad and Tobago minutes apart late on Monday night but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Seismic Research Centre at the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies said that the first quake was felt at 11: 33 p.m local time and measured 5.1 on the Richter scale.

The centre said it was located Latitude: 10.41N, Longitude: 62.27W and at a depth of Depth: 10 kilometres.

The quake was felt 88 kilometres west south west of the capital,  Port of Spain, 91 kilometres west north west of the second city, San Fernando and 110 kilometres east south east of Carúpano in Venezuela.

The centre said that the second quake, which occurred four minutes later, had a magnitude of 4.2 and was located Latitude: 10.49N, Longitude: 61.93W and at a depth of 10 kilometres.

This quake was felt mainly in the capital, the second city of San Fernando and in the town of Arima.

The quakes are the latest to rattle the country now dealing with excessive flooding caused by torrential rains over the past four days.

Over the last three days, the country has been hit by earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.1, 4.2 and 4.1 respectively.

In August, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 jolted Trinidad and Tobago, sending an already frightened population out of buildings and into the streets.

The centre said then it was one of the many aftershocks following the major earthquake that registered 7.3 on August 21.

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