BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CARL HERBERT, Director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has assured that the Federation is ready to respond to imminent threats of earthquakes or other natural disasters.
Two major earthquakes have struck the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region since mid-January – with magnitudes of 7.0 and 8.8 being recorded in Haiti (Jan. 12) and Chile (Feb. 27) respectively.
Scientists claimed after the Haitian catastrophe that regional seismic activity would increase as a result, a position seemingly verified by the number of small quakes felt throughout the LAC since.
This phenomenon has not escaped the Federation, as the University of the West Indies’ Seismic Research Centre stated that a 4.3 magnitude quake was recorded in St. Kitts on Thursday, February 25, at 6:44 p.m.
No damage was reported and it was noted as only being felt in Basseterre.
According to Herbert, the Trinidad and Tobago-based centre has been monitoring seismic activity on a daily basis since the 1970s. He explained that while no earthquake could ever be prevented, various warning mechanisms are in existence to mitigate the potential impact.
“There are several sensors located at strategic places around both St. Kitts and Nevis that record important data that is transmitted back to Trinidad every day, thus providing them with key information as they monitor.
“Although we do not speak about it, part of our plan is an ongoing system of monitoring and alerting. If the centre recognises there is a need for us to take any particular action, NEMA is the focal point to and from which that information will be provided.”
The NEMA Director revealed that the region is also considering the implementation of a tsunami early warning system and education complement.
In the event of a Haiti-like disaster striking the Federation, Herbert said that NEMA’s first step would be an evaluation of the resources currently available. The relief agency would then work on ensuring that communication and supply lines to the public remain open.
“Irrespective of the strength of the impact, one will have to do an assessment on how we move forward. One can’t say in advance what will happen to structures, because my new house might fall and your 50-year-old house might not. Being built at particular times is not a clear indication of what structures might fall.
“We don’t know what will happen with the cell activity, but as we know, one has to improvise and some non-traditional measures will have to be utilised, whether it’s a megaphone or hi-fi systems. We have no guarantee that any mechanical or technical system will stand, but there are several institutions that have access to satellite phones,” Herbert added.
