If you felt the earth shaking under you at 10 to eight this morning, it wasn't your imagination, it was an earthquake. The quake was centered in the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Honduras and east south east of Belize. There are no reports of serious damage in Honduras but it startled quite a few city residents. Here's more.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
This area denoted by this star is where the earthquake occurred (55 miles) WNW of La Ceiba, Honduras and (60 miles) NE of San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The United States Geological survey reports that it measured 5.8 on the Richter scale and was recorded at 7:48 am, local time. It was felt across Belize, as the earthquake's epicenter was half way between La Ceiba and Punta Gorda. That epicenter was over 100 miles from Belize City but there were reports of tremors coming from almost every neighborhood. On KREM'S WUB the quake shook the hosts up.
[Video Clip from KREM's WUB]
Not quite strategic, maybe geologic, as those we spoke to across the city told us about the unusual feeling they encountered at 7:48 am. This man told us he thought thieves were bringing down his house:
Man #1,
"I was sleeping when that happened. I thought somebody was trying to break into my house, trying to break in on me and I wanted to know what went on."
Woman #1,
"It was exactly 7:50 because I looked at the clock and it was exactly 7:50 and it was very strong. I was in bed and the whole bed was shaking and my sister in the next room she called me and she thought somebody was shaking her bed because she was sleeping."
Woman #2,
"I was at home, I live in Boom and everything was shook upstairs and the zinc and everything just shaked."
Man #1,
"I was just getting ready to come out and I felt a little tremble thing but I thought the washing machine was spin drying but when I conscious the machine wasn't on but it felt cool but I think it was around minutes to eight."
The tremors from the quake were most pronounced in Punta Gorda Town where vendors at the town market report that quite a few of the shelves were cleared clean as their products and produce were sent falling to the ground.
