Moderate earthquake strikes French Guiana

A moderate earthquake struck French Guiana on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Photo: Moderate earthquake strikes French Guiana

There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries, but some buildings were evacuated in the French department in South America.

The 5.2-magnitude earthquake, centered 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of the capital of Cayenne, was likely to cause minor damage, said John Bellini, a geophysicist with the U.S. agency. It hit about 1:30 p.m. (1630 GMT) in what appeared to be a coastal area.

People poured into the streets after the earthquake. Some fainted, said Jacques Zenon, chief of the fire department call center. Firefighters received 400 calls.

Some slight tremors were felt in Paramaribo, the capital of neighboring Suriname, about 385 kilometers (240 miles) east of where the quake hit.

Several hundred workers in Paramaribo rushed out of their offices fearing the buildings may collapse. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage in Suriname, said Jerry Slijngaard, head of the government's Disaster Coordination Center.

The U.S. agency hadn't detected an earthquake within 300 kilometers (185 miles) of the area in at least 33 years, Bellini said.

"It's not a very active area. It's a very unusual earthquake for the location and size. It seems to be a shallow earthquake, which means it should be felt fairly well in Cayenne," he said.

About 200,000 people live in French Guiana, reports AP.

O.Ch.