Barbados is well-positioned to handle response and recovery should a significant seismic event affect the country.
That word has come from director of the Department of Emergency Management (DEM), Kerry Hinds, after the University of the West Indies’ Seismic Research Centre (SRC) yesterday revealed that several earthquakes affected the Eastern Caribbean between Friday night and yesterday morning.
The SRC noted that in the last 24 hours, more than five quakes had occurred in the Caribbean, with Barbados and other regional neighbours as far north as Guadeloupe feeling some of those tremors. The Centre also warned that the continued increase in seismic activity could be a precursor to an even stronger subterranean event in the near future.
In an interview with the Sunday Sun last night, Hinds said the DEM had continued to emphasise training and preparation for dealing with earthquakes or tsunamis. She added they continued to flood the airwaves and social media platforms with important public service information to Barbadians on what safety and precautionary measures to take in case the island is affected by an earthquake.
She noted the DEM also has at its disposal officials from the Barbados Police Service, Barbados Fire Service, Barbados Defence Force and the Ambulance Service who could deal with search and rescue missions, along with several ministries that can start clean-up and recovery missions.
Assistance can be sourced as well from the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and even further afield through diplomatic relations.
“With an earthquake, the fact is that it can happen at any time. It is not like a hurricane that you have days to prepare,
and Barbadians should be reminded that we are in a seismically active region,” the DEM boss made clear. “We also want Barbadians to understand that preparedness is key, hence the messages which the DEM places on social media platforms regarding how to drop, cover and hold on in case of an event.”
Hinds said Barbadians should also realise that some tremors are foreshocks and some are aftershocks, so after an event, it would be wise to wait for emergency officials to complete an assessment before leaving their homes. “It is strongly advised that persons should not run outside during an earthquake,” she stressed.
Of the earthquakes reported by the SRC yesterday, the strongest had a magnitude of 6.0 on the Richter Scale, north-east of Guadeloupe.
“Please note that our region is a seismically active one and we can feel events in a short period of time. This is why we always urge persons to plan, prepare and practise for any earthquake event,” the SRC said in a statement on its Facebook Page.
“In recent days and months, several areas, from Barbados to far north-east of the arc, have generated moderate to strong earthquakes. Sometimes, such activity signals an even more significant magnitude earthquake in the short term.
“Larger earthquakes are also a normal part of the earthquake cycle. At this time, however, the science is unable to predict exactly where and when such events would occur. To mitigate the impact, we should always have our preparedness measures in place,” the SRC advised.
The Centre said it was important to remember that the effects of large-magnitude earthquakes could extend over wide areas. “We should all, therefore, ensure that we prepare, plan and practise individually, nationally and regionally.”
It was reported that the last tremor was felt in St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Grenada.