Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake Shakes Dominican Republic

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 struck south of Sánchez in the province of Samaná early Monday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported. The tremor occurred at 1:01 AM local time, with its epicenter located 10 kilometers south of Sánchez.

The Seismological Institute of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) confirmed the seismic event, which happened at 1:01 AM on Sunday, August 3rd (05:01:19 UTC). The institute indicated a preliminary magnitude of 4.9. The USGS noted the earthquake's depth was 6.7 kilometers, considered shallow, which likely intensified its perception in areas near the epicenter.

As of now, Dominican authorities have not reported any injuries, material damage, or other incidents related to the seismic event. The Dominican Republic is situated in a region of high seismic activity due to the interaction between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates, making low to moderate magnitude earthquakes relatively common.