How deep is Puerto Rico?

How deep is the ocean off Puerto Rico?

8,400 meters The Puerto Rico Trench is the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean, with water depths exceeding 8,400 meters. Its depth is comparable to the deep trenches in the Pacific Ocean.

How deep is the island of Puerto Rico?

The Puerto Rico Trench is 497 miles (800 km) long with a maximum depth of 26,247 feet (8,000 m) at Milwaukee Deep. For comparison, the average depth of the Atlantic Ocean (not including adjacent seas) is 12,881 feet (3,926 m).

Why is the Puerto Rico Trench so deep?

Geology. The Puerto Rico Trench is located at a boundary between two plates that pass each other along a transform boundary with only a small component of subduction. … According to NASA, beneath the trench is a mass so dense it has a gravitational pull on the surface of the ocean, causing it to dip somewhat.

Is Puerto Rico sinking?

To the north part of the island, the North America plate is moving past and sinking below Puerto Rico, while in the southern region, the Caribbean plate is sinking into the mantel underneath the island. “Essentially, the island is being squeezed between these two tectonic plates,” he said.

Can a tsunami hit Puerto Rico?

Fortunately, none of the fifteen earthquakes that struck the Caribbean were strong enough to generate a tsunami; as such, there is no risk of tsunami to the U.S. East Coast, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

How deep is the Caribbean trench?

It extends from the Windward Passage at the southeastern tip of Cuba toward Guatemala. The relatively narrow trough trends east-northeast to west-southwest and has a maximum depth of 25,216 feet (7,686 m), the deepest point in the Caribbean Sea.

Is Puerto Rico safe?

Puerto Rico is relatively safe for visitors, sporting a lower crime rate than other cities in the United States and being one of the safest Caribbean islands. Much of the violent gun crime in Puerto Rico relates to drug trafficking and gang activity, which doesn't usually affect travelers.

How deep does the ocean go down?

The average depth of the ocean is about 12,100 feet . The deepest part of the ocean is called the Challenger Deep and is located beneath the western Pacific Ocean in the southern end of the Mariana Trench, which runs several hundred kilometers southwest of the U.S. territorial island of Guam.