WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- A 7.9-magnitude earthquake jolted western Costa Rican coast on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake, which occurred at 8:42 local time (1442 GMT), was centered about 8 km northeast of Samara, Costa Rica, and 151 km west of San Jose, the capital, according to the USGS.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a tsunami watch has been in effect for the Caribbean, noting that earthquakes of such a magnitude have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami. Enditem