A massive 7.6 magnitude earthquake has struck the Caribbean Sea, prompting a tsunami warning for nearby islands including the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Jamaica.

The tremor, one of the largest to hit the Caribbean in recorded history, struck on Tuesday night at about 9.51pm just over 25 miles from the coast of Great Swan Island, belonging to Honduras.

The earthquake had a depth of 6.2 miles and rocked several Central American nations.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami advisory was put in place for hurricane-hit Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and warned of possible waves up to three feet above tide level.

There were also fears waves could potentially impact the coasts of Central American nations, including Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands. However, the warnings were later canceled and in the end, no tsunami materialized.

The tremor, one of the largest to hit the Caribbean in recorded history, struck on Tuesday night at about 9.51pm just over 25 miles from the coast of Great Swan Island, belonging to Honduras

The earthquake had a depth of 6.2 miles and rocked several Central American nations

Warnings were issued after what was one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the Caribbean in modern times. The 2010 quake that devastated Haiti killing more than 200,000 people was magnitude 7.0.

The US National Weather Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned 'hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 1,000 kilometers of the earthquake epicenter'. It later said this threat had passed.

The quake rattled windows in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, which is roughly 323 miles to the east, while officials said there were some reports of cracks in homes in Colon and Atlantida provinces along the northern coast and Olancho in the east.

Firefighters said some residents in southern neighborhoods fled their homes after feeling the shaking.

The northern coast of Honduras closest to the quake's epicenter is sparsely populated, with much of it covered by nature reserves.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami advisory had been put in place for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands after the earthquake. The warnings were later canceled

Puerto Rico (above) and other Caribbean islands are still recovering from the devastating hurricane that struck in September last year

More than 40 percent of Puerto Rico's power customers remain in the dark nearly four months after the Category 4 storm hit the island

President Juan Orlando Hernandez via Twitter said that Honduras had activated its emergency system and asked people to remain calm.

The quake was also felt in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, north of Honduras, according to Mexico's civil protection director.

Rodrigo Anaya Rodriguez was in his house near the popular tourist site of Bacalar Lake near Mexico's Caribbean coast when he felt three tremors.

'It felt like a bulldozer was driving past,' he said. 'It didn't last long but was very violent.'

He ran to his balcony and saw electricity posts and cables swaying.

Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands are still recovering from the devastating hurricane that struck in September last year.

US federal officials said as recently as Monday that additional work crews and supplies were being sent to Puerto Rico in the coming weeks to fully restore power after the devastating hurricane.

More than 40 percent of Puerto Rico's power customers remain in the dark nearly four months after the Category 4 storm hit the island, causing an estimated $95 billion in damage and killing dozens of people.