For the past two weeks, the island has been under extreme seismic surveillance, as a result of several earth tremors that we experienced recently from the Kick 'em Jenny volcano.
Kick ‘em Jenny, an undersea volcano located 5 miles (8km) off the north coast of
Grenada, started a series of serious rumblings on July 11, 2015, prompting the regional disaster
authorities to be on alert.
The volcano is monitored by The Seismic Research Center at the University of the West Indies and when the seismic activity increased in the volcano, an orange alert was issued.
The orange alert meant that an eruption could begin with
less than twenty-four hours notice. Scary isn't it?
Kick 'em Jenny has a bad reputation for mariners since the strong currents in the area are responsible for boats being knocked around as if being kicked by a mule (Jenny is the term used for a mule in the Caribbean), hence its name.
An eruption would certainly stir up high waves and heat surrounding waters to boiling temperatures, also shooting hot rocks up through the water column....what a catastrophe that would be.
Under the alert, all boats were advised to stay at least 5 kilometers (3 miles)
from the volcano as the gases it released would lower the density of the water so significantly that sailing vessels would lose buoyancy and sink.
The Associated Press reported that “For the period since the July 11 a total of more than 200 micro and
small earthquakes, of varying magnitudes, have been recorded, with the
largest, prior to the strong signal, less than magnitude 3.0,” the
center’s website stated. Recreational divers also noticed some
“degassing” on the seafloor off the west coast of Grenada in the
Moliniere Sculpture Park area in the form of gas-rich magma bubbles.
The center advised that all boats should stay at least 5
kilometers from the volcano. Mariners face the greatest threat from Kick
‘em Jenny as it releases gases that can lower the density of water
leading to sinking of vessels."
Kick 'em Jenny was discovered in
1939 and since then it has erupted at least 12 times beneath the surface of the Caribbean seafloor, the most recent in
December 2001. The volcano rises 4,265 ft above the seafloor (1,300 meters)on a steep slope of the Lesser Antilles ridge.
The elevated seismic activity which began on July 11 resulted in earthquakes which were felt here on the island as well as in some of the neighbouring islands like St. Lucia, Martinique and Trinidad & Tobago.
Here in Barbados, on Thursday July 16 we experienced several tremors throughout the day which started in the early morning.
The strongest quake struck at 11.16am and originated 81 miles (132km) in the ocean off the northeast of Barbados....it was strong and at a shallow depth of about 3 miles (5km)
Earthquake 1 7.01am 5.7 magnitude Latitude 13.92 North, longitude
58.82 West Depth 10km
Earthquake 2 11.16am 6.4 magnitude Latitude
13.96 North, longitude 58.87 West Depth 10km
Earthquake 3 11.29am 4.1 magnitude Latitude 13.86 North, longitude 58.99 West Depth 10km
Earthquake 4 11.36am 5.3magnitude Latitude 13.90
North, longitude 58.63 West Depth 10km
They all lasted no more than 20 seconds, and to be honest I didn't feel any of them...not even a little wiggle.
There were no injuries or damage reported.
Several businesses were evacuated and many folks heeded the Disaster Management warnings.
According to The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) the best way was to "Drop, Cover, and Hold" .....the appropriate action to reduce
injury and death during earthquakes.
"During An Earthquake … Drop, Cover & Hold!
Earthquakes can happen at anytime, anywhere. When an earthquake
strikes you may have a few seconds between the realization that this is
an earthquake and the time when the shaking stops.
- Take Cover in the Nearest Space: Take cover where you are. If you
are outside during an earthquake take cover there, do not rush indoors
or vice versa. Protect yourself from things that may fall on top of
you, whether it is broken glass or a whole building. Once you take cover
in your safe place, stay there until the shaking stops; earthquakes
seldom last longer than a minute although it seems longer.
- Drop, Cover and Hold: Practice the Drop, Cover and Hold procedure until it becomes second nature."
On its Facebook page, the UWI Seismic Research Centre, responded to public
concerns and posted that the activity was not unusual.
“We live in a seismically active part of the world and earthquakes,
both of the size and frequency which we are currently experiencing north
east of Barbados, are not unusual and do not by themselves suggest
anything more menacing is coming,” it said.
“Please note that whenever a large magnitude earthquake occurs, they
are normally followed by a large number of aftershocks. This is simply
the earth adjusting to the stress changes that resulted from the
earthquake.”
As of today, the tremors are still continuing but the seismic activity has been greatly reduced.
Let's hope that Kick 'em Jenny settles back down and behaves. We are already on edge during the hurricane season and really don't need anything more to worry about.
The location of the latest earthquake, at 11:36 a.m., according to this image from the UWISRC.
Four small earthquakes/tremors have been
felt in Saint Lucia, Barbados, Martinique and other neighbouring islands
within the past five hours, according to preliminary information from
the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWISRC).
There were no immediate reports of damage. The last three events occurred within 50 minutes – all occurring in the same region.
Residents in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Guyana have
also reported feeling the quake, though those countries were not
mentioned in the UWISRC report.
– The first quake, measuring 5.7, was felt at about 7:01 a.m.
– the second, measuring 6.4, occurred at about 11:16 a.m.;
– the third, measuring 4.1, occurred at about 11:29 a.m.
– the fourth, measuring 5.6, occurred at about 11: 36 a.m., the UWISRC has stated.
Residents have told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that the quakes lasted between 10 and 20 seconds.
- See more at: http://www.stlucianewsonline.com/breaking-news-earthquake-felt-in-st-lucia/#sthash.5EzqbzQH.dpuf
The location of the latest earthquake, at 11:36 a.m., according to this image from the UWISRC.
Four small earthquakes/tremors have been
felt in Saint Lucia, Barbados, Martinique and other neighbouring islands
within the past five hours, according to preliminary information from
the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWISRC).
There were no immediate reports of damage. The last three events occurred within 50 minutes – all occurring in the same region.
Residents in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Guyana have
also reported feeling the quake, though those countries were not
mentioned in the UWISRC report.
– The first quake, measuring 5.7, was felt at about 7:01 a.m.
– the second, measuring 6.4, occurred at about 11:16 a.m.;
– the third, measuring 4.1, occurred at about 11:29 a.m.
– the fourth, measuring 5.6, occurred at about 11: 36 a.m., the UWISRC has stated.
Residents have told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that the quakes lasted between 10 and 20 seconds.
- See more at: http://www.stlucianewsonline.com/breaking-news-earthquake-felt-in-st-lucia/#sthash.5EzqbzQH.dpuf
The location of the latest earthquake, at 11:36 a.m., according to this image from the UWISRC.
Four small earthquakes/tremors have been
felt in Saint Lucia, Barbados, Martinique and other neighbouring islands
within the past five hours, according to preliminary information from
the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWISRC).
There were no immediate reports of damage. The last three events occurred within 50 minutes – all occurring in the same region.
Residents in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Guyana have
also reported feeling the quake, though those countries were not
mentioned in the UWISRC report.
– The first quake, measuring 5.7, was felt at about 7:01 a.m.
– the second, measuring 6.4, occurred at about 11:16 a.m.;
– the third, measuring 4.1, occurred at about 11:29 a.m.
– the fourth, measuring 5.6, occurred at about 11: 36 a.m., the UWISRC has stated.
Residents have told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that the quakes lasted between 10 and 20 seconds.
- See more at: http://www.stlucianewsonline.com/breaking-news-earthquake-felt-in-st-lucia/#sthash.5EzqbzQH.dpuf
There is a feedback site here
Interesting video here.
An interesting article on Kick em Jenny here.http://www.wired.com/2015/07/theres-volcano-called-kick-em-jenny-angry/
Another interesting old article here.
CNN video here.
Daily Mail report here.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3174252/Warning-issued-Kick-em-Jenny-volcano-Caribbean-Sea-Grenada-threatens-erupt-cause-ships-sink-without-trace.html
Ferry crossing video July 24, 2015 here.
Yesterday's update here.
The location of the latest earthquake, at 11:36 a.m., according to this image from the UWISRC.
Four small earthquakes/tremors have been
felt in Saint Lucia, Barbados, Martinique and other neighbouring islands
within the past five hours, according to preliminary information from
the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWISRC).
There were no immediate reports of damage. The last three events occurred within 50 minutes – all occurring in the same region.
Residents in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Guyana have
also reported feeling the quake, though those countries were not
mentioned in the UWISRC report.
– The first quake, measuring 5.7, was felt at about 7:01 a.m.
– the second, measuring 6.4, occurred at about 11:16 a.m.;
– the third, measuring 4.1, occurred at about 11:29 a.m.
– the fourth, measuring 5.6, occurred at about 11: 36 a.m., the UWISRC has stated.
Residents have told St. Lucia News Online (SNO) that the quakes lasted between 10 and 20 seconds.
- See more at: http://www.stlucianewsonline.com/breaking-news-earthquake-felt-in-st-lucia/#sthash.5EzqbzQH.dpuf
