CARIBBEAN NEWS
VOL.5 NO.4
DECEMBER 1, 2007
EARTHQUAKE IN THE CARIBBEAN!
NOV. 29, 2007
From the BBC/CARIBBEAN:
There was panic in several parts of the Caribbean on 11/29, as a
powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck. The quake occurred off
the west coast of Martinique, centered 25 miles northwest of the
capital of Fort-de-France. It struck at 3 PM, ASTime.
The quake was felt from Puerto Rico to the Venezuelan coast, but
was felt strongest in Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Dominica
and Barbados. Barbados sits outside the Eastern Caribbean chain
and normally does not experience earth tremors.
Experts from the National Earthquake Information Centre in Golden,
Colorado said the depth of the quake, at 90 miles, spared the region
from severe destruction. The only reported casuality was a woman
in Martinique who died of a heart attack during the quake. There
was no tsunami formed due to the earthquake's depth.
Scientists at the Seismic Research Unit at the University of the
West Indies said the quake was the 2nd strongest since they
began monitoring the Caribbean tectonic plate in 1952. The strong-
est was a 7.5 temblor recorded in 1974.
From the AP desk in Fort-de France, Martinique:
A powerful earthquake rocked the eastern Caribbean, where roofs
collapsed and panicked office workers and shoppers fled into the
streets of several islands. The quake lasted longer than 20 seconds
and was felt throughout the region.
Martinique took the worst toll, where the roofs of a bank and a store
collapsed and large cracks were left in several buildings. Two
people were injured when they panicked and jumped through win-
dows. Others were slightly injured fleeing their homes and dozens
received treatment for panic attacks. However, no major casualties
were reported.
In the capital city, the roof over a parking garage collapsed crush-
ing 9 cars. In Trinidad, the shaking sent workers streaming into the
streets of the capital. Thousands more ran outside in St. Maarten,
and flights at Princess Juliana Airport were briefly suspended. In
Guyana, lawmakers evacuated the Parliament building. In St.
Lucia, the quake caused panic and broke water lines, but did not
cause severe damage. In the capital of Castries, people spoke of
buildings swaying but not toppling.
Quotes from eyewitnesses on several islands:
"My house shook so hard I thought it was going to fall. The door,
the windows- everything shook."- woman in Martinique.
"The earth shook and everything came tumbling down on the desk.
We put our hands over our heads. We were lucky that our class-
room didn't collapse."- primary school student in Martinique.
"Oh my God, the earth is moving! The road moving!"- young man
in St. Philip, Barbados.
"Something wrong. The house moving and I ain't goin' back."-
older gentleman in Ruby Park, Barbados.
"My house began to rock almost in a circular and then side-to-
side motion. We have a 50-gallon fish aquarium and the water was
just slapping from side to side and the tank was threatening to tip
over."- woman in Ruby Park.
All the residents interviewed complained of feeling "dizzy" or "giddy"
for quite a time after and that the tremor drove a "never before" fear
into their hearts.
