A magnitude 5.9 earthquake was felt in Boa Vista, Brazil and Guyana at around 15:05h Sunday, according to the German Geosciences Research Center (GFZ).
The quake was reported to have hit at a shallow depth of 10 km below the epicenter near Boa Vista, in the Brazilian state of Roraima.
These shallow earthquakes are felt stronger than deeper ones as they are closer to the surface. And based on the Magnter Richter scale for earthquakes, earthquake 5.9 falls between the moderate to strong ranges.
Importantly, the exact magnitude, epicenter and depth of the earthquake can be reviewed within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies publish their report.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the earthquake should have caused no significant damage, but many people probably felt it to be a gentle vibration in the epicenter area.