Kingston, Jamaica — 29 January 2026
A minor earthquake measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale was felt in sections of Kingston and St Andrew early Wednesday morning, according to the Earthquake Unit, University of the West Indies. The tremor occurred at approximately 3:47 a.m., with its epicentre located about five kilometres northeast of Gordon Town, at a focal depth of 17 kilometres.
No damage or injuries were reported, and the quake was widely described as brief and mild. Still, even low-magnitude seismic events tend to draw attention in a country where earthquakes, while infrequent, are not unfamiliar — and where large portions of the housing stock vary significantly in age, quality, and structural resilience.
Seismic activity and Jamaica’s built environment
Jamaica sits near the northern edge of the Caribbean Plate and has experienced several significant earthquakes in its history, most notably the devastating 1907 Kingston earthquake. While Wednesday’s event does not compare in scale or…
