2007 Martinique earthquake

{{Short description|Earthquake in Martinique, France}}

{{Infobox earthquake

| title = 2007 Martinique earthquake

| local-date = {{Start date|2007|11|29}}

| local-time = 15:00:19 (local time)

| timestamp = 2007-11-29 19:00:19

| map2 = {{Location map | Martinique#Lesser Antilles

|relief = yes

|label =

|lat = 14.98

|long = -61.26

|mark = Bullseye1.png

|marksize = 40

|position = top

|width = 250

|float = right

|caption = }}

| magnitude = 7.4 {{M|w|link=y}}

| depth = {{convert|150|km|mi|abbr=on}}

| location = {{coord|14.98|N|61.26|W|display=inline,title}}

| countries affected = Martinique, France

| casualties = 1 dead
100+ injured

| intensity = {{MMI|VII}}

| isc-event = 13276920

| anss-url = usp000ftj1

}}

The 2007 Martinique earthquake took place on November 29, 2007, at {{tooltip|15:00:19 local time|19:00:19 UTC November 29 UTC}} in the Windward Islands region, underneath the Martinique Passage. It was a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that occurred {{convert|18|km|abbr=on}} west northwest from Basse-Pointe, Martinique.{{cite web|title=M7.4 – 18 km WNW of Basse-Pointe, Martinique|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usp000ftj1#general_summary|publisher=United States Geological Survey}}

This earthquake was felt strongly in Martinique, Dominica, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, St Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Power outages were reported in Martinique, Dominica and Guadeloupe. It was also felt in other Eastern Caribbean islands, from Puerto Rico to the north to Trinidad and Tobago to the south. It could also be felt in part of South America such as in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.{{Cite web |url=http://news.caribseek.com/set-up/exec/view.cgi?archive=147&num=59433 |title = Caribseek Guyana News {{!}} Guyana experienced earthquake event – GINA News |access-date=2009-10-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708121816/http://news.caribseek.com/set-up/exec/view.cgi?archive=147&num=59433 |archive-date=2011-07-08 |url-status=dead }} In Caracas, Venezuela, some people evacuated office buildings.{{cite news | title = Strong earthquake hits Martinique | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7120018.stm | date = November 30, 2007 | accessdate = February 28, 2010 | publisher=BBC News| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100124191118/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7120018.stm| archivedate= 24 January 2010 | url-status= live}} The intensity reached VI to VII on the EMS98 scale in Martinique and Dominica.[http://www.ipgp.fr/~beaudu/download/2004_Beauducel_B3.pdf Loi d'atténuation B-Cube pour l’évaluation rapide des intensités sismiques probables dans l'Archipel de Guadeloupe]

In the surrounding region, the South American plate is subducting beneath the Caribbean plate. This earthquake occurred within the South America Plate and was in response to stresses generated by the slow distortion of the plate.