Jamaica to Brace for Major Earthquake Warns Seismic Specialist

Jamaican authorities have been cautioned by an American seismic expert to make preparations for a major earthquake to impact the island.

Geophysics professor Eric Calais of Purdue University pleaded with the country’s government to take the threat seriously based on the area’s history and active seismic activity.

The professor stated that most scientists are in agreement that it is highly probable that Jamaica will experience an earthquake with a magnitude of 7 or 7.5 on the Richter scale.

Earthquakes of magnitude 7 on the Richter scale are considered “major” and are capable of catastrophic damage to infrastructure.

  

In 1907 Kingston was destroyed by magnitude 6.5 earthquake. Jamaica could incur a loss of about a half of the island’s gross domestic product if we were to experience a magnitude 7 quake according to researchers from the University of the West Indies.

“A 6.5 in the harbour by the capital could be a tremendous threat,” said Calais whilst visiting Port Royal, just outside of Kingston.

Haiti earthquake map, major earthquakes, earthquake Jamaica, Port Royal earthquake

Calais’ warnings are being heeded by many as he was one of the scientists who warned  Haiti that their country was ripe for a major earthquake in March of 2008.

Two years later the country was devastated by a deadly 7.0 quake killing some 316,000 people and leaving many more homeless.

Jamaica sits on the same seismically-active plate boundary as Haiti and is impacted by about 200 minor earthquakes per year.


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Antoinette Edwards
10 years ago

Add a comment…start preparing people!

Susan Darby-Ellis
10 years ago

This can’t be real…..

Giovaughn Wilson
10 years ago

its very real. although i heard somewhere that 1 of 2 things would happen, either we would have an increase in the number of minor earthquakes or we wood have a really big 1. hope we get the former cause we already struggling enough.

Giovaughn Wilson
10 years ago

its very real. although i heard somewhere that 1 of 2 things would happen, either we would have an increase in the number of minor earthquakes or we wood have a really big 1. hope we get the former cause we already struggling enough.

Antoinette Edwards
10 years ago

Add a comment…start preparing people!

Jehu Shirley
10 years ago

The thing that kills people in earthquakes are really just falling structures and object. If the ground doesn’t open up, and just shakes, its very possible to stand in an open field and be safe from falling objects, especially houses and buildings, which is what usually kills people during an earthquake. My faith in God is strong enough to believe that he will protect our people. I pray for our people the most. We can always rebuild and regrow, but life is the most precious. I pray if it does come to pass, it’s minor and not worth mentioning, because… Read more »

Andrew Mcleod
10 years ago
Reply to  Jehu Shirley

That’s all we can do my brother – PRAY!

Louise Toby Finikin
10 years ago

Need to get my community prepared.

Shawna-Kay Buchanan
10 years ago

this serious

JA Blogz
10 years ago

definitely should not be overlooked

Sophia Lindsay
10 years ago

Say a Prayer for the people of Jamaica that God will protect all His children.

Smookie Pinnock
10 years ago

Dear Lord please forgive us for all our sins, protect us all the days of our lives.

Desmond Thomas
10 years ago

Pray that our God would continue to be our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore, will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea-Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof… God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

Dawn Mc Millan
10 years ago
Reply to  Desmond Thomas

Amen! Faith my brother! I feel you!

Ricky Riley
10 years ago

What will be will be…. There is an earthquake every day somewhere in the world. No need to even think about it because you can’t do anything about it. Just be careful out there, cause you could get run over by a bus before the earthquake!

Christopher A. Jackson
10 years ago

Well lets us hope is is not that bag cuz I don’t the Jamaica is prepare for something like this bcuz if annual hurricane we have problem dealing with what if a major EQ hits how would we deal as a nation.

Debbie Gordon
10 years ago

lord help us.

Charmaine Marie Brimm
10 years ago

I pray for God’s Mercy and ask that H Averts it; not because we deserve it but because He’s merciful and truth be told Jamaica cannot deal with such a catastrophe

Derrick M. Jones
10 years ago

well. I dream of it , thought of it, And also warn people of the predition.

Derrick M. Jones
10 years ago

well. I dream of it , thought of it, And also warn people of the predition.

Sheryl Williams
10 years ago

God has been so merciful to jamaica but we continue to turn away from him it is now time for the nation to fast and pray

Garnett Chang
10 years ago

Amen Sheryl. We need to turn to our Saviour and ask for mercy.

Ewan Diamond
10 years ago

Too much fish ina d place.

Andre Young
10 years ago

pl need fi leave my island alone n top try predict shit.

Velma Shand
10 years ago

We are covered by the Blood of Jesus Christ….and there will be a shift…Amen? This we are not looking for…..

Stefan Hamilton
10 years ago
Reply to  Velma Shand

From we put our trust in God, then why even think of it.

Jade Ross
10 years ago

If and when it happens, may we all strive to be our brothers keeper!

Gloria Gough
10 years ago

We just have to be prepared and pray that God will spare this land we love so much. Prayers changes things.God bless.

Gala A Jones
10 years ago

pray that God will spare this land we love so much. pray, pray, pray.

Palori Grant Walters
10 years ago

We must take this warning very seriously and bombard God’s throne with prayer to save us from this.
disaster.We cannot go through anything like this now.

Paulette Norman Chambers

God have mercy on your people, God call the shots not man.

Bukka T SonofthehouseBeen

just let us all start against this thing..

JahBless Skhn
10 years ago

Jamaican people u have been warn, and all u demonds the God of righteouness is coming to confront u

Judy Thomas
10 years ago
Reply to  JahBless Skhn

~-~It “WILL” be Man made Earthquake,..HAARP/Electromagnetic wave,..etc…ingeniered,…thats what di WARNING should read,…remember HAITI….my thought….smiles

Viviene Barnaby
10 years ago

Oh Lord have mercy!

Kamla Kay
10 years ago

If it’s the same fault (Plantain Garden) and Haiti had a major earthquake a few years ago, why would they expect another major earthquake from the same fault…

Dean Anderson
10 years ago

damn

Mavarine Vernon-Reid
10 years ago

Do they know when this will happen, this year, next year?

Cyrus James
10 years ago

U know what I hate about reading these articles nowadays, at the end u get the writing saying “” if u like this article…” how the hell can some one like this article when its about some major disaster about to take place! smh

Hugh Grant
10 years ago
Reply to  Cyrus James

You can like it because it is making you aware of a POSSIBLE disaster my friend. What you said implied that you believe we should hate it. It’s simply making people know that the
POSSIBILITY exists of something bad happening.

Avril Queenahhartz James

Here in a de state side we pray and lift up Jamaica lots of good people there smh

Deborah So Strong Henry

God help us!

Matja TopGun
10 years ago

god ago protect unnu

Owen A Watson
10 years ago

Wat is to be must be.. Man cant stop that..

Patrick Tulloch
10 years ago

The Lord will surely not desert us. But government needs to be proactive and start the education of citizens on what to do

Patrick Tulloch
10 years ago

The Lord will surely not desert us. But government needs to be proactive and start the education of citizens on what to do

Rahje Savant Shields
10 years ago

Instead of praying and hoping for the best people need to start being proactive about earthquake preparations. If any one noticed in the news of late, there have been surges of earthquake activities across the world.

Yolanda Drakapoulos
10 years ago

We are well aware of the risk of a major earthquake in Jamaica. We have known it for a long time. We certainly don’t need no foreign “Seismic Specialist” to come tell we that like say is some new discovery!! Bout him “pleaded with the country’s government to take the threat seriously based on the area’s history and active seismic activity”. We have a very good Public Education program…all schools do earthquake drills, and many offices do them also. Our building code is the same as California’s. The Earthquake Unit at UWI has done a lot of research and is… Read more »

Cameisha Forbes
10 years ago

We need to take this thing serious,I felt a small one in negril last week saturday

Jennifer Bailey
10 years ago

We just have to pray and make sure our property are insure

Maria Getfield
10 years ago

Get on your knees and pray to God

Lillian Payne
10 years ago

too many blood on the ground God is taking revenge STOP THE KILLING

Marjon Edwards
10 years ago

This feels like deja vu reading this as i had a vision 3wks ago about a major earthquake in Jamaica the Epicenter being montego bay………

Trudy Diedrick
10 years ago

Our government has not brought this to the peoples attention. Why? It is crucial that the people be aware. I pray for God’s intervention.

Don Martini
10 years ago

let’s hope it will never happen

Don Martini
10 years ago

let’s hope it will never happen

Robert McCarthy
10 years ago

Historical eyewitness accounts of the earthquake which sank portions of Port Royal report that a tsunami came ashore afterwards and swept many people into Kingston Harbour. A magnitude 7 along our southern coast would almost certainly have the same effect, imagine today not just Post Royal but also Portmore, Harbour View, Bull Bay and lower Kingston which was sparely populated back then.

Alicia Parchment
10 years ago

Suffer it not…

Alicia Parchment
10 years ago

Suffer it not…

Tamekia Nugent
10 years ago

bouy a couldnt manage fi hear this knowing the people i hold dear to my heart all live in JA

Emil Wade Dawkins
10 years ago

I encourage the government and people to take every precaution known to man with much prayer and supplication.

Alicia Aiden
10 years ago

It would be really sad if it happens and many lives are lost, but the fact of the matter is that these things are supposed to happen, it’s written in the great Book. The one thing I pray for, and God forgive me, but, I wish only the terrorists of our nation be destroyed if it were to happen.