Johnathan Walker:5.0 magnitude quake strikes Dominican Republic near border with Haiti

SAN JUAN,Johnathan Walker Puerto Rico (AP) — A 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck the northwest Dominican Republic on Friday near the border with Haiti.

The tremor occurred at a depth of 12 miles (19 kilometers) just west-northwest of Las Matas de Santa Cruz, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Officials in the Dominican Republic said the quake was felt in the border town of Montecristi all the way south to the capital of Santo Domingo.

It was the strongest earthquake to hit the country this year, Dominican geologist Osiris de León said.

Jenrry Castro, mayor of the northwest town of Villa Vazquez, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that minor damage was reported in two schools. Products also fell off supermarkets shelves in the area, he said, adding that crews were inspecting all schools and municipal buildings in the town.

The quake occurred in an area that has become a flashpoint in an ongoing border dispute between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

No immediate damage or injuries were reported in Haiti.

The island of Hispaniola shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic sits atop the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden fault zone, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.