Okay, peoples, now that the nerves have settled I can tell you that around 3:00 p.m. an earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter Scale hit near Martinique, at longitude 14.9 degrees North, 61.2 degrees West. It was also felt as far away as Venezuela, Guyana and Trinidad.
In Barbados, reports are still coming in but we seemed to have been spared the worse of it. Traffic is gridlocked, especially near the City, and there were reports of roof tiles falling from the Royal Bank of Canada in Broad Street, damaging a car and blocking the street. Part of a house in Ellerton, St. George reportedly fell into a gully. People are in the streets and walking to open areas. The cellphone system is partially down so persons are having difficulty communicating. Some patients were also evacuated from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
In Guadeloupe there are reports that a 3 year old girl was killed and her sister injured.
Here is a report from Caribbean360.com:
The United States Geological Survey has reported that a magnitude 7.3 earthquake has struck near Martinique.
ABC news is also reporting that a 3 year old girl was killed and her sister is in critical condition when a wall collapsed in Guadeloupe.
The earthquake struck the island at 3 p.m. local time approximately 13 miles (21 km) northwest of the island, at a depth of 90 miles (145.4 km).
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a statement for Caribbean countries excluding Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands indicating that a tsunami was not expected in the Caribbean due to the depth of the quake.
In addition, the U.S. West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center noted that no tsunami warning or watch was in effect. According to the centre, no Tsunami's were expected along the coasts of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the U.S. Atlantic.
We Bajans are novices when it comes to earthquakes and tremors, never having experienced any significant ones before. We have to get educated fast, because the earth seems to be on the move in the region and other parts of the world.
Map: Barbados Underground
Will keep you all posted, but folks overseas can rest assured that there are no reports of deaths or serious injury here.
For details on the quake, click here.
2 comments:
That is scary stuff...I live in Virginia now but I cannot imagine
My mom told me about
It was a first for everyone under 50. We hadn’t had any earthquake activity on this island in decades. I certainly never experienced anything similar here. I was so confused; I thought like so many others that it was me.
The Seismic Activity in Barbados
Tis the eve of our 41st Independence Day
Have been unusual and I wasn’t okay
Ever since I awoke I was unsteady
Something strange was coming over me
Equilibrium lost so I chose to rest
I relaxed and laid at my bodies request
Soon, after lunch, I felt even worst
My tossing got terrible or so I thought at first
I felt the bed tremor and rouse up from it
Couldn’t get my footing so I tried to sit
And I scream for help but no one could hear
Couldn’t take it no more so I stumbled through my fear
Tremors seem to climb through the walls
I continued to scream but no one heard my calls
Violent rumbles were coming from my kitchenette
In there the ware clanged but nothing was broken yet
This was a hint that it wasn’t all me
Yet it took the reassurance from my daddy
I later got a call which confirmed the island shook
No one died, 8 were hurt and by the seismic book
Bajans experienced the waves from neighboring activity
A 7.4 earthquake off Martinique deep in the sea
Rumblings affected others and the island chain
Barbados, Antigua, Puerto Rico and Port of Spain
All Bridgetown was evacuated traffic was gridlock
Dangerous stampedes came as workers ran in shock
Our Q.E.H patients were moved outside
Seismic shook up should make us examine our pride
Khaidji
BajanPoetry.com
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