Caribbean again urged to be prepared for “big one”

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The head of the seismic Research Center (SRC) at the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Dr. Joan Lutchman, is reiterating calls for the region to be prepared for a major earthquake as several parts of the Caribbean are jolted by earth tremors.

Over the weekend, the SRC said that a burst of 54 earthquakes occurred north of St. Kitts during a 21-hour period. The biggest had a magnitude of 4.1.

It said that the 54 earthquakes were in the magnitude range of 1.2 to 4.1, the SRC said, adding “there have been no felt reports thus far”.

The SRC reported that a quake measuring 3.8 was recorded Sunday night and was felt 104 kilometers (km) east of Fort-de-France, in Martinique, 117 km north east of Castries in St. Lucia and 155 km south east of Roseau, Dominica.

It said it was located Latitude: 14.67N, Longitude: 60.14W and at a depth of 10 km

- Advertisement -

Speaking on a radio program here Monday, Lutchman, who has for months now been warning that the Caribbean is long overdue a “big one”, said that several tremors have since been recorded following the weekend activities.

“At this time, we have had magnitude 4.1 associated with our magnitude events. So, it could simply be a main shock with some aftershocks.

“These events are shallow, we had an additional 12 earthquakes over the weekend. Overnight through Saturday and into Sunday morning, I imagine there were even fewer which is what you expect when you have a subsiding sequence,” she told radio listeners.

The seismologist said that for shallow events ‘we tend to have more associated aftershocks than you have for deeper events”.

She said the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Trinidad and Tobago on August 21 this year, ”which was semi-deep and the aftershocks were not that many.”

But she warned that the region should take the signs “very seriously” and predicts a “big one is coming, and it is better to be prepared”.

The last major earthquake to hit the Caribbean occurred in Haiti in 2010 when the magnitude 7.0 quake destroyed several buildings and killed an estimated 200,000 people.

More Stories

US travel ban

US dismisses travel ban reports that include Caribbean nations

The U.S. Department of State has dismissed reports suggesting that a new travel ban could impact multiple countries, including several in the Caribbean. Despite...
Antigua and Barbuda says it will accept nationals deported from the US

Antigua PM faces US scrutiny over Russian megayacht sale

A U.S. federal judge has authorized attorneys representing a Russian woman to access financial records related to the controversial sale of a seized megayacht...
St. Vincent Guyana-Venezuela border

St. Vincent Prime Minister Gonsalves meets Maduro over Guyana-Venezuela border tensions

The government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has confirmed that Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves traveled to Venezuela to meet with President Nicolás...
Haiti

Armed gangs in Haiti attack three news outlets in coordinated assault

Armed gangs launched coordinated attacks on three major media outlets in Haiti's capital over the weekend, escalating concerns over press freedom and the government's...
Yashika Graham )

Jamaican Poet Yashika Graham shortlisted for 2025 OCM Bocas Prize for Poetry

Acclaimed Jamaican poet Yashika Graham has earned a coveted spot on the shortlist for the 2025 OCM Bocas Prize for Poetry with her debut...
Antigua Barbuda aerial

Antigua and Barbuda’s economy surpasses pre-pandemic levels, driven by tourism

Antigua and Barbuda’s economy continues its post-pandemic rebound, with real output surpassing pre-pandemic levels in 2024. Growth was estimated at 4.3%, fueled by a strong...
Guyana to begin Construction on seven new hospitals

Guyana aims to become regional pharmaceutical, vaccine manufacturing hub

The future of Guyana’s healthcare system is taking shape with ambitious plans to build six new hospitals, modernize outdated regulations, and establish the country...
Doctors Without Borders suspends operations again in Haiti

Doctors Without Borders suspends operations again in Haiti

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has once again suspended operations at its Turgeau Emergency Centre in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, following an alarming escalation of...
Grenada’s Opposition leader Dr Keith Mitchell says he will not be seeking re-election

Former Grenada Prime Minister Keith Mitchell collapses during political meeting

Former Grenadian Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell collapsed on Monday evening while addressing supporters of the New National Party (NNP) at a political meeting...
Suriname Joins World Bank's International Development Association as Newest Member

Local World Bank employees in Jamaica now exempt from income tax

In a move that reinforces Jamaica’s relationship with the World Bank, the Senate passed legislation on March 14 exempting locally recruited World Bank employees...

Latest Articles

Skip to content