The Jamaican government has urged residents to cease the spread of misinformation during earthquakes and other natural disasters, which negatively impact the relevant authorities’ ability to assist those in need of help.
The island was rocked by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake early this morning, with the tremor’s epicenter about 2 miles (4 kilometers) west-northwest of Hope Bay in northeastern Jamaica, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It occurred at a shallow depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers).
No deaths were reported and there was no major structural damage.
However, several communities and public buildings on the eastern side of the island reported minor infrastructure damage, according to Stewart Beckford, the Commissioner of the Jamaica Fire Brigade.
During a press conference this evening, Beckford noted that Fire Brigade teams visited several communities in Kingston and surrounding areas to conduct assessments of damaged buildings. But despite the gravity of the situation, Beckford said the brigade was still receiving prank calls from residents relating to the earthquake.
“With all of this, we still have Jamaicans who are making prank calls to the fire brigade relating to the earthquake. We would have had reports of buildings collapsing on Half Way Tree Road, and when we turned up, it was false, and numerous other calls around the corporate area that turned out to be pranks,” Beckford said.
“I want to use this medium to ask the members of the public to please desist from the practice of making prank calls. What it does is tie up resources that are needed elsewhere and makes our job that much more difficult,” he urged.
These sentiments were echoed by Prime Minister Andrew Holness who said the spread of misinformation, especially during times of crisis and disaster, negatively impacts Jamaicans who actually need help.
“Misinformation is indeed a part of our society. Some people may think it’s funny, it’s a prank, some people may think it’s entertainment, but it has a real impact on how it misdirects our resources,” Holness said.
“Resources that could have been used to properly identify and properly assess and give service to people who are in need end up being misdirected because we can’t take a chance once someone calls for help,” the Prime Minister added.
Aftermath of the earthquake
Several aftershocks have been reported since the 5.6 tremor this morning, including one several minutes prior to the publishing of this article. The Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies said there have been over 20 aftershocks.
The major tremor resulted in food, wine bottles, and other items tumbling off the shelves in grocery stores, and many residential and public buildings have reported structural damage.
The University of the West Indies and the New Kingston Shopping Center are among the public buildings damaged. Mayor of Kingston Delroy Williams also noted that several buildings in Downtown, Kingston, were damaged.
Many businesses in the corporate area, including banks, supermarkets, and tax offices, closed operations for the remainder of the day. Several schools in eastern Jamaica also dismissed early.
The Kingston Public Hospital reported a massive increase in patients suffering from asthma attacks and panic attacks. Other emergency cases also showed up at the hospital.
