By Drizel Hanley
BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (JANUARY 2018)-In light of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Honduras in Central America, that led to a Tsunami Warning being issued to surrounding islands this week, Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Carl Liburd is urging residents to be vigilant.
Liburd noted that even though the tsunami warning was discontinued, residents must be cognizant of the fact that we live in a seismically active region hence we experience earthquakes from time to time which can trigger tsunamis.
“So we want you to pay attention to the public service announcements that have been going on for several years now and to be aware of what should be done if such threat was to be given,” he stated.
Liburd added: “There is no need for panic, we just need people to be aware of the signage and their surroundings and the principle is if there is a need for evacuation to safety, that we will be asking persons to move to higher grounds.”
The quake shook the Caribbean Sea on Tuesday night (9th January). It occurred west of Jamaica at a depth of 6.2 miles. As a result, it triggered warnings for areas within 621 miles of the quake’s epicenter. No damage was reported despite its magnitude and strong aftershocks.