Above: a map of the quake (graphic: USGS)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The French island of Martinique was lightly shaken by a 4.4-magnitude earthquake off its northeastern coast on Thursday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The quake’s epicentre was about 54 kilometres east-northeast of Petite Riviere Salee and about 55 kilometres east-northeast of Sainte-Marie, and about 72 kilometres east-northeast of the capital, Fort-de-France.

The quake, which struck at a depth of 53 kilometres, led to reports of shaking focused in Fort-de-France, although there were no reports of damage or injuries. It occurred at around 12:42 AM local time in Martinique.

The quake came five days after a similar 4.4-magnitude quake struck off the northwestern coast of the island, closer to Dominica.

The earlier quake struck far deeper, at around 167 kilometres, and did not lead to reports of shaking.

The Caribbean is a seismically active region.