Volcanoes and earthquakes are part of life in the Caribbean

Janelle de Souza’s drag tower features An Hour AgoAsh over La Soufriere as seen from Dorsetshire Hill in St Vincent on April 9th. Image courtesy Virad Peters Image courtesy Virad Peters –

Volcanoes and earthquakes are a fact of life in the Eastern Caribbean, so people and countries should prepare for them, says seismologist Dr. Joan Lachman.

According to the website of the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center (UWI-SRC), Grenada, Saint Vincent, Saint Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Nevis, Saint Kitts, Saint Eustatius and Saba have 19 live people ( Potentially erupting. Again) volcanic centers.

“Other islands such as Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, most of the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago (which are not volcanic) are close to volcanic islands and are therefore exposed to volcanic risks such as severe ash fall and tsunami waves generated by volcanoes.”

Because of their history, Lachman said, countries where volcanoes erupted in the historical era tend to have contingencies to mitigate loss of life when a volcano erupts because it addresses the need for preparedness more urgently than areas where volcanoes erupted in the historical era, despite their acknowledgment, There will always be challenges in implementing “real time” to respond to crises.

The eruption of La Soufriere volcano in Saint Vincent is a recent example.

“Saint Vincent has many projects to get their country more ready for the volcano, especially for the northern communities that are in the red. There was one project nearing completion with those communities to get them more prepared for the volcano, so they know what they need to have on hand and the regulations in place for evacuation.” .

However, she stressed that other countries should have plans too.

It is not a question of “now” when we see something happen. It is a matter of “always” because that is our reality. We have these volcanoes, and we have volcanic risk and earthquake risk in the region.

People at TT, she said, accept earthquakes of magnitudes three and four every few months as normal. It is also normal for fives to occur three times a year, and six every three to five years. However, the sevens that occur every 30 years, or the eight every 100 years, are also a normal part of an earthquake pattern.

When the area vibrates

Currently, the eastern Caribbean has not experienced its largest-magnitude earthquake in more than 100 years. This is something we should always keep in the back of our minds when planning our future development. Because this earthquake will happen, probably what we may consider “out of nowhere,” but it tells us that it is coming for decades. “

Newbie Mathura points to the huge cracks on Los Eros Hillview Road that were damaged during an earthquake in August 2018.-

Volcanoes usually give notice because they become turbulent, but in general, notification from earthquakes in the region is long-term and accurate. Therefore, an analysis of the earthquake activity pattern is required to find out which regions of the earthquakes are set to be of the largest magnitude.

The last strong earthquakes near the TT were on September 20, 1968 and August 31, 2018, with magnitudes of 7.0 and 6.9, respectively. The La Soufriere explosions erupted in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in May 1718, April 1812, May 1902 and April 1979.

Recalling that the current eruption episode at La Soufriere began in December 2020, she said that we should not conclude that there is a particular preference for the explosions in April.

“Why is this the case, we don’t have a consistent answer, at this time. It can’t be definitive until there are more data points showing this pattern.”

According to UWI-SRC, other major eruptions in the area include Mount Bailey, Martinique in 1902 where there were more than 30,000 deaths, the complete destruction of Saint-Pierre, and significant damage to agriculture. It also began to show signs of increased activity at the end of 2020.

There was a Soufriere in Guadeloupe from 1976 to 1977 with a slight volcanic eruption and no casualties, but the estimated economic cost is US $ 1 billion.

Then there is an eruption in Soufriere Hills, Montserrat, which began in 1995 and continues today. There were about 20 deaths, the total destruction of the capital, Plymouth, and the complete destruction of the economy.

What are the risks

In addition to the loss of life and property, and the economic impacts, there are also environmental concerns when it comes to volcanoes.

Pyroclastic flows, as currently seen in Saint Vincent, can destroy, bury, burn, and generally destroy buildings and crops, as well as block rivers and streams that can cause floods. However, it does fertilize the land in the long run.

Lachman explained that when the lava flow enters the sea, the short-term effect is very localized with the potential for low-level tsunamis, and the heat causing the water to boil, killing fish and other marine life.

The table shows active volcanoes in the Caribbean. –

“For a one-time event, the volume of seawater is so large that it (the flow) will be diluted to levels that will not have a long-term effect. There must be large volume flows heading to the sea over a long period, I think, to become a long-term concern. “.

Ash and volcanic gases in the air are also a concern. Ash exacerbates breathing problems for people with respiratory problems and allergies, and long-term exposure can lead to silica infection in the lung.

Sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide are released into the air, and in high concentrations, near the crater, they are lethal. However, when it rises in the atmosphere, it is dilute and is less severe.

The risks posed by volcanic gases should not be underestimated, for example, she said in August 1986, a large cloud of highly concentrated carbon dioxide gas was released into Lake Nyos, Cameroon, West Africa, and blanketed surrounding villages, killing about 1,700 people and 3,500. Head of cattle.

“During volcanic eruptions, the gases are dissipated and diluted as they move away from the volcano, but volcanic gases and products when volcanoes erupt, are clearly explosive, but they are also over-flowing, must be treated with the utmost respect.”

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Table:

The island – live volcanoes

Saba – Mount Mashhad

Saint Eustatius – The Feather

Saint Kitts – Mount Liamujia

Nevis – Nevis Peak

Montserrat – Soufriere Hills

Guadeloupe – La Soufriere

Dominica – Morne Batats, Morne Platbay, Morne Angeles, Grand Soufriere, Morne Wat, Mekotrin, Morne Trois Pitons, Morne Diablotin, Morne or Diabel volcano.

Martinique – Mount Bailey

Saint Lucia – Soufriere Volcanic Center

Saint Vincent – La Soufriere

Grenada – Mount Saint Catherine

Kick ’em Jenny is an underwater volcano located between the islands of Grenada and the Ronde, and it is the only undersea volcano in the eastern Caribbean.

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