5.4 magnitude earthquake rocks Jamaica
News

5.4 magnitude earthquake rocks Jamaica

admin


A 5.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Jamaica at roughly 10:57 AM native time this morning.

In line with USGS, affected international locations included Jamaica, Haiti, the US Minor Outlying Islands, and Cuba.

The epicenter of the quake was 4 kilometers from Hope Bay, Jamaica, with a depth of 10 km.

The earthquake has to date been reportedly felt within the Japanese and Central parishes of the island, particularly Kingston and St Andrew, Clarendon, St. Mary, St Catherine, St Thomas, Portland, St Elizabeth, and Manchester.

This follows a 4.3 magnitude earthquake that rocked the island in September.

– Commercial –

Structural injury has been reported in some elements of Portland and Kingston, amongst different parishes.

The final consensus from Jamaicans on social media was that this was the strongest felt earthquake to hit the island in at the very least 20 years.

– Commercial –

In line with the Mayor of Kingston Delroy Williams, there was injury to derelict buildings in downtown Kingston.

 

A number of communities throughout the island, particularly these on the japanese aspect of the island, have reported injury. Structural injury has additionally been reported on the College of the West Indies in Kingston, the New Kingston Buying Middle, and different public buildings.

Assertion from the Prime Minister

Following the earthquake, Prime Minister Andrew Holness addressed the nation.

“The injury evaluation to date is that injury has been minor. Nonetheless, we’re taking all precautions. All the required protocols have been activated. Right here on the workplace of the Prime Minister, the NWA [National Works Agency] might be doing an evaluation to make sure the constructing is protected for cupboard to renew,” he mentioned.

He urged all Jamaicans to stay calm, including that the nation might expertise aftershocks.

“It’s probably that after the preliminary shock, there are normally aftershocks so that you wish to be in a protected place … Once more, stay calm, comply with all of the protocols relating to earthquakes and normal security,” the Prime Minister mentioned.

The Prime Minister mentioned that many Jamaicans throughout the island skilled a break in electrical energy and communication following the earthquake, most of which has been restored. 

The airports stay open and there have been no reported deaths to date. Some colleges and enterprise locations within the affected parishes, nonetheless, have suspended operations for the rest of the day.