Dear Editor,
Earthquakes are natural disasters that occur when stresses that have built up along fault lines are released. The recent earthquake in Nepal with a magnitude of 7.8 should be a wake-up call for us in Jamaica to ensure that all our government agencies with direct responsibilities for earthquake management and relief are fully resourced and are ready to respond in the event of an earthquake.
Jamaica is located within fault lines, which makes the island very vulnerable to earthquakes. The last devastating earthquake to hit Jamaica was the Kingston earthquake of 1907 which destroyed a significant portion of the city and killed approximately 1,000. An earthquake of seven on the Richter scale is considered major and is capable of widespread damage and death as seen in the cases of Haiti in 2010 and Nepal now. While Jamaica's infrastructure is arguably better than of Haiti and Nepal, we should never become complacent and disregard the destructive nature of earthquakes.
With so many unplanned settlements in Jamaica, including heavy squatting and the building of homes alongside gully banks due mainly to the lack of affordable housing, Jamaica and Jamaicans are at an increased risk in the event of a major earthquake.
Unlike hurricanes, which many Jamaicans have experienced, the majority of the population has no memory or experience of the great panic and hysteria of a major earthquake. We need to know, for example, where the gathering spots are in Kingston in the event of a major earthquake.
Disturbingly, many of our schools are at particular risks since, in many instances, earthquake drills are not done, or not done on a frequent basis to prepare students for what they should expect and what they should do in the event of a major earthquake.
Jamaica is surrounded by a number of geological faults. In eastern Jamaica there is the Plantain Garden fault that runs into the Yallahs, Blue Mountain, Wag Water and Silver Hill faults, which altogether control the tectonics of the Blue Mountains block. Jamaica is also influenced by the south coast, Spur Tree and Montpelier and Newmarket faults in Western Jamaica.
Clearly, now is the time to revisit our earthquake preparedness plans. The truth is, it is not a matter of if we will get a major earthquake, it's a matter of when. As a result, we now need to learn from the lessons of those who have experienced such destructive and devastating tragedies.
Wayne Campbell
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
Are we ready for an earthquake?
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Earthquakes are natural disasters that occur when stresses that have built up along fault lines are released. The recent earthquake in Nepal with a magnitude of 7.8 should be a wake-up call for us in Jamaica to ensure that all our government agencies with direct responsibilities for earthquake management and relief are fully resourced and are ready to respond in the event of an earthquake.
Jamaica is located within fault lines, which makes the island very vulnerable to earthquakes. The last devastating earthquake to hit Jamaica was the Kingston earthquake of 1907 which destroyed a significant portion of the city and killed approximately 1,000. An earthquake of seven on the Richter scale is considered major and is capable of widespread damage and death as seen in the cases of Haiti in 2010 and Nepal now. While Jamaica's infrastructure is arguably better than of Haiti and Nepal, we should never become complacent and disregard the destructive nature of earthquakes.
With so many unplanned settlements in Jamaica, including heavy squatting and the building of homes alongside gully banks due mainly to the lack of affordable housing, Jamaica and Jamaicans are at an increased risk in the event of a major earthquake.
Unlike hurricanes, which many Jamaicans have experienced, the majority of the population has no memory or experience of the great panic and hysteria of a major earthquake. We need to know, for example, where the gathering spots are in Kingston in the event of a major earthquake.
Disturbingly, many of our schools are at particular risks since, in many instances, earthquake drills are not done, or not done on a frequent basis to prepare students for what they should expect and what they should do in the event of a major earthquake.
Jamaica is surrounded by a number of geological faults. In eastern Jamaica there is the Plantain Garden fault that runs into the Yallahs, Blue Mountain, Wag Water and Silver Hill faults, which altogether control the tectonics of the Blue Mountains block. Jamaica is also influenced by the south coast, Spur Tree and Montpelier and Newmarket faults in Western Jamaica.
Clearly, now is the time to revisit our earthquake preparedness plans. The truth is, it is not a matter of if we will get a major earthquake, it's a matter of when. As a result, we now need to learn from the lessons of those who have experienced such destructive and devastating tragedies.
Wayne Campbell
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
Are we ready for an earthquake?
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