Sierra Leone's meteorological agency, SLMet, said on October 14 that it is reviewing information about an earthquake recorded in the Atlantic Ocean after tremors were reported in parts of the country on Tuesday, October 13.
The agency said the quake, initially reported at magnitude 6.9, occurred at about 12:23 p.m. local time and was centred beneath the Atlantic, more than 1,000 kilometres from Sierra Leone — not on land inside the country.
SLMet cautioned that an undersea earthquake does not by itself trigger a tsunami, explaining that dangerous waves depend on how an earthquake displaces the seabed. It said further verified information would follow as its assessment continues.
The agency urged people to stay calm, to drop, cover and hold on if shaking recurs, and — for coastal communities — to move inland or to higher ground immediately if the sea suddenly withdraws, rises unusually, or roars, rather than waiting for an official warning.
