Seismic activity continues: More earthquakes recorded off Barbados

Three more earthquakes with strengths of between 4.0 and 4.5 magnitude were recorded within a 15-minute span late yesterday evening, as heightened seismic activity continued to the northeast of Barbados.

The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center reported that a 4.3 magnitude earthquake occurred at 6:59 pm EDT, 116 km (72 miles) northeast of Bridgetown, 236 km (147 miles) east of Castries, St. Lucia and 260 km (162 miles) east southeast of Fort-de-France, Martinique.

A handful of people on the center’s Facebook page said they felt the shaking from that event.

A 4.5 magnitude earthquake was recorded 9 minutes later. The epicenter of that tremor was located 136 km (86 miles) northeast of Bridgetown, 260 km (162 miles) east of Castries, and 283 km (176 miles) east south east of Fort-de-France.

At 7:13 pm EDT, the third, measuring 4.0 magnitude, occurred 106 km (66 miles) northeast of Bridgetown, 228 km (142 miles) east of Castries, and 253 km (157 miles) southeast of Fort-de-France.

More than 20 earthquakes have occurred around the same general area in the past five days, the most intense of which was a 6.4 magnitude tremor last Thursday that was felt by residents of several Caribbean countries, including Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Vincent, and Trinidad & Tobago.

In addition to those reported by the Seismic Research Center, several smaller earthquakes with magnitudes of less than 3.8 have occurring, the Trinidad-based unit said.

“This is simply the earth adjusting to the stress changes that resulted from the earthquake,” the center said over the weekend.

While Caribbean residents have expressed concern that the seismic activity could be the lead up to a major event, the Seismic Research Center has indicated that the earthquakes of the size and frequency currently being experienced “do not by themselves suggest anything more menacing is coming”.

“However, this region has had larger events in the past and we do expect to have large and possibly damaging events in the future,” it added, as it urged residents to get themselves acquainted with what should be done during and after a quake. -(CMC)