SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - On Friday, a seismic event of 5.0 magnitude rattled the northwestern region of the Dominican Republic, close to the border with Haiti.

This tremor struck at a depth of 12 miles (19 kilometers) in the vicinity of Las Matas de Santa Cruz, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Officials from the Dominican Republic reported that the earthquake was felt as far south as the capital, Santo Domingo, extending all the way up to the border town of Montecristi.

Dominican geologist Osiris de León noted that it marked the most powerful earthquake experienced in the country this year.

Jenrry Castro, the mayor of Villa Vazquez in the northwest, shared on social media that minor damage was recorded in two schools. Supermarkets in the area also reported items falling off their shelves. Castro mentioned that inspection teams were dispatched to evaluate all schools and municipal structures in the town.

The earthquake took place in an area that has been a focal point of an ongoing border dispute between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Thankfully, no immediate reports of damage or injuries emerged from Haiti.

The island of Hispaniola, jointly inhabited by Haiti and the Dominican Republic, rests upon the Enriquillo–Plantain Garden fault zone, as per the U.S. Geological Survey.