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, as reported by 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. Mayor Jenrry Castro confirmed that minor damage was reported in two schools in the northwest town of Villa Vazquez, with products falling off supermarket shelves. He also mentioned that crews were inspecting all schools and municipal buildings in the town.
The earthquake 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.