A strange wake-up call for Guadeloupeans. Two earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 5 on the Richter scale occurred during the night from Friday to Saturday in Guadeloupe, according to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of the archipelago, but no significant damage or casualties were reported. deplore immediately.
At 4:48 a.m. (9:48 a.m. Paris time), “a strong earthquake of magnitude 6” shook the archipelago, according to the observatory. “Identified as tectonic, the epicenter was located 50 km north of La Désirade, at a depth of 24 km,” according to the same source.
Two earthquakes in less than 24 hours
An AFP correspondent noted that the shaking lasted several seconds. According to testimonies collected, it was strongly felt by several residents living in Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre.
Aurélien Bâcle, 38, living in Le Moule, a town in Grande-Terre, in the east of the archipelago, told AFP how he had been “awakened” shortly before 5 a.m. by the earthquake that he “felt good”.
A few hours earlier, another earthquake, more moderate, magnitude 5.2, had already been recorded “at 11 p.m. local time”, according to a first press release from the observatory. The latter, according to the same testimonies collected by AFP, was not felt in the same way. “I didn’t feel it,” said Aurélien Bâcle. On social networks, several residents expressed their concern.
No casualties yet
Also “identified as tectonic, the epicenter was located 71 km northeast of La Désirade, at a depth of 13 km,” according to the observatory.
According to the authorities questioned, there is currently no information on possible damage or casualties.
Guadeloupe is located in a very active seismic zone and regularly experiences slight earthquakes, more or less felt by the inhabitants.