A major, 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck in the South Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The temblor happened at 10:16 p.m. Eastern, data from the agency shows. U.S.G.S. data earlier reported that the magnitude was 8.

Erin strengthened into a hurricane Friday as the storm continued on a path over the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said. It is the first hurricane to develop in the Atlantic this year, and it was expected to continue gaining strength,

The Atlantic coastline is vulnerable to tsunamis triggered by earthquakes and landslides across the ocean basin

As Hurricane Erin moves out to sea, forecasters on Aug. 22 are keeping watch on two other areas of disturbed weather in the Atlantic Ocean.

The storm poses no immediate threat to the Sunshine State, but officials warn residents to stay alert during peak hurricane season as predictions still suggest six to ten hurricanes, and three to five

WPBF 25 First Warning meteorologists are tracking Tropical Storm Fernand in the Atlantic Ocean. According to the National Hurricane Center, it is located about 550 miles east-northeast of Bermuda. As of the 11 p.m. advisory, it was moving northeast at 13 mph with 50 mph maximum sustained winds.

“Some gradual development of this system is possible during hte middle to latter portion of thw eeek while the system moves westward to west-northwestward at 15 to 20 mph across teh eastern and central tropical Atlantic,” the hurricane center said.

"Unfavorable upper-level wind conditions are expected to kick up this week over the Atlantic’s Main Development Region, and the end of August and first week of September should be relatively quiet in the tropics," said Dr. Ryan Truchelut on Aug. 13. Truchelut is the chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger and works with the USA TODAY Network.