Monday brought yet another unsettling reminder of the Caribbean’s seismic vulnerability as a strong earthquake struck Jamaica. At around 10:57 AM local time, the ground shook, signaling the latest in a series of seismic activities affecting the region.
Multiple countries felt the tremor
The tremor’s reach was not confined to Jamaica. Its effects rippled through Haiti, the United States Minor Outlying Islands, and Cuba, displaying the far-reaching impacts of seismic activities in the Caribbean.
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Understanding the tremor: How earthquakes manifest
The mechanics of an earthquake lie in the slow but steadfast motion of the earth’s rocky layers.
Large pieces, or tectonic plates, are in a continuous state of motion, sometimes locking together due to friction.
The accumulated energy from this resistance eventually finds a sudden release, traveling through the earth in powerful waves, manifesting on the surface as the shaking and rattling we recognize as an earthquake.
A chain of tremors: The Caribbean’s recent encounters
This event does not stand alone in the region’s recent seismic history.
Following a 4.3 magnitude tremor in September which affected Jamaica, this latest quake underscores a pattern of escalating seismic activities.
Trinidad and Tobago, too, experienced the earth’s unrest last month when it was shaken by two separate earthquakes.
Furthermore, the Seismic Research Centre at the University of the West Indies’ St. Augustine campus reported last month that two earthquakes rattled several islands in the Caribbean within a 24-hour period.
Preparedness and protection: Tips for earthquake safety
The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) has taken steps to educate and prepare citizens by offering crucial advice on how to navigate the challenges posed by earthquakes.
General Tips:
- Drop down; take cover under a desk or table and hold on.
- Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you’re sure it’s safe to exit.
- Stay away from bookcases or furniture that can fall on you.
- Stay away from windows. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake.
- If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow.
- If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the ground.
- If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops.
Before an earthquake:
- Learn how to survive during the ground motion. This is described in the “During the Earthquake” section below. The earthquake safety tips there will prepare you for the fast action needed – most earthquakes are over in seconds so knowing what to do instinctively is very important.
- Teach all members of your family about earthquake safety. This includes: 1) the actions you should take when an earthquake occurs, 2) the safe places in a room such as under a strong desk, along interior walls, and 3) places to avoid such as near windows, large mirrors, hanging objects, heavy furniture and fireplaces.
- Stock up on emergency supplies. These include battery-operated radio (and extra batteries), flashlights (and extra batteries), first aid kit, bottled water, two weeks of food and medical supplies, blankets, cooking fuel, tools needed to turn off your gas, water, and electric utilities.
- Arrange your home for safety: Store heavy objects on lower shelves and store breakable objects in cabinets with latched doors. Don’t hang heavy mirrors or pictures above where people frequently sit or sleep.
- Anchor heavy appliances and furniture such as water heaters, refrigerators, and bookcases.
- Store flammable liquids away from potential ignition sources such as water heaters, stoves, and furnaces.
- Get Educated. Learn what to do during an earthquake (see below). Then you will be ready for the fast action needed. Make sure that all members of your family have this important education.
- Learn where the main turn-offs are for your water, gas, and electricity. Know how to turn them off and the location of any needed tools.
During an earthquake:
- If you are indoors, stay there. Quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk, a strong table, or along an interior wall. The goal is to protect yourself from falling objects and be located near the structural strong points of the room. Avoid taking cover near windows, large mirrors, hanging objects, heavy furniture, heavy appliances, or fireplaces.
- If you are cooking, turn off the stove and take cover.
- If you are outdoors, move to an open area where falling objects are unlikely to strike you. Move away from buildings, powerlines, and trees.
- If you are driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road. Avoid stopping on or under bridges and overpasses, or under power lines, trees, and large signs. Stay in your car.
After an earthquake:
- Check for injuries, attend to injuries if needed, and help ensure the safety of people around you.
- Check for damage. If your building is badly damaged you should leave it until it has been inspected by a safety professional.
- If you smell or hear a gas leak, get everyone outside and open windows and doors. If you can do it safely, turn off the gas at the meter. Report the leak to the gas company and fire department. Do not use any electrical appliances because a tiny spark could ignite the gas.
- If the power is out, unplug major appliances to prevent possible damage when the power is turned back on. If you see sparks, frayed wires, or smell hot insulation turn off electricity at the main fuse box or breaker. If you will have to step in water to turn off the electricity you should call a professional to turn it off for you.
