WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A major earthquake in Haiti prompted a tsunami watch for parts of the Caribbean, including the impoverished nation, neighboring Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Bahamas, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said on Tuesday.

"A destructive widespread tsunami threat does not exist based on historical earthquake and tsunami data," the center said. "However, there is the possibility of a local tsunami that could affect coasts located usually no more than a 100 km (60 miles) from the earthquake epicenter."

(Reporting by Sandra Maler, Editing by Stacey Joyce)