A US government agency on Tuesday issued a tsunami warning for countries bordering the Caribbean sea, after a powerful 7.0 quake rocked Haiti.

"This message applies to countries within and bordering the Caribbean sea," the Pacific Tsunami Warning center said, "except for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands."

A specific warning was issued for Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas and Dominican Republic.

The center said the warning had been issued to other Caribbean nations "for information only" at this time.