MEXICO CITY — A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck in the Caribbean Sea between the coast of Honduras and the Cayman Islands on Tuesday night.

There were no early reports of damage on land.

Tsunami warning centers said that no tsunami waves had been confirmed but they stressed that people in Puerto Rico, other Caribbean islands, and the coast of Central America should be alert to the dangers of a possible tsunami.

The US Geological Survey measured the quake at a preliminary magnitude of 7.6.

The tremor struck in the sea about 125 miles north-northeast of Barra Patuca, Honduras, and 188 miles southwest of George Town, Cayman Islands.

The tremor occurred about 6 miles below the surface.

The northern coast of Honduras closest to the quake’s epicenter is sparsely populated, with much of it covered by nature reserves. Some people in the capital of Tegucigalpa said they did not feel the tremor.

President Juan Orlando Hernandez said via Twitter that Honduras had activated its emergency system.

He asked people to remain calm.

In the Cayman Islands, Sergeant Dave McKay with Royal Cayman Islands Police told the Associated Press that hazard management officials had not issued a tsunami alert.

He added that authorities were continuing to monitor the situation.

associated press