ROADTOWN Tortola, BVI, April 14th 2011 - In an invited comment to VINO, Linton V. Leonard, Information and Education Manager of the Department for Disaster Management (DDM) said “as far as I know this is the strongest earthquake in our zone”. However, he could not readily say what year the VI experienced a stronger earthquake.

He added that the last two that occurred were in January and March of this year and measured 3.58 and 3.6 respectively on the Richter scale.

Furthermore, there were no damages reported to the DDM up to the time this article was published.

The earthquake rocked the VI around 12:28 a.m. today Wednesday April 13, 2011, and according to a DDM press release, the epicenter was located near 18.78N and 64.28 West or 8.36km NE of Anegada, 35. 31Km NE of Virgin Gorda or 54.23Km NE of Road Town at a depth of 25 miles.

Residents’ reaction

Many residents woke up to shaking homes that lasted for less than a minute, and according to Vivian Wheatley of Anegada she was in bed when it happened, adding “from my point of view it was nothing really because it was very short-lived. There was just a rumble and then a little shaking that lasted a few seconds.”

Meanwhile, Allington Creque of North Sound, Virgin Gorda told VINO, “I fell asleep on my carpet when I personally felt it. I could have heard dogs from a distant the whole community was awake. I never felt that before. It was like the TV was swaying and some of my CDs were coming off the shelf. After the experience I went back to bed around 2 am.”

But to a four year-old child it was as if ghosts were shaking his bed. This is what his mother who wishes to remain nameless told VINO.

“I was on my way to the bathroom when I felt the house shaking. My son woke up and asked what happened I told him it was an earthquake and he replied he thought it was ghosts shaking his bed,” the Cane Garden Bay resident revealed.

DDM advisory

The DDM has cautioned residents that they live in a seismically active zone, which makes the Territory vulnerable to earthquakes.  During an earthquake it is important to stay calm, if you are inside stay there, move away from ceiling fans, glass windows and doors or anything that may fall.

Get under a desk or sturdy piece of furniture cover your head and hold on. If outdoors, move into an open area away from trees, building, or utility wires and poles.  During an earthquake the more you move the more likely you are to be hurt, so refrain from entering or exiting a building at the time of the impact,” the DDM advised.

Article taken from Virgin Islands News Online

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