Earthquake aftershock

A magnitude 5.9 aftershock – 40 kilometres east-southeast of Carúpano, Venezuela – was felt across TT and several other Caribbean islands this morning. The strong aftershock occurred at 9.27 am, just under 16 hours after the region was rocked by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake at 5.31 pm yesterday.

Some people who felt the aftershock expressed surprise that it wasn't a second earthquake but confirmation of this morning's tremor being an aftershock came from Omari Graham, research assistant in the Education and Outreach Section, The University of the West Indies' Seismic Research Centre (UWI Seismic), St Augustine.

Graham told Newsday, "Yes, it would be classified as an aftershock. This magnitude is in line with what we expect, given the strength of Tuesday's earthquake. This morning's aftershock was located in the same area as yesterday's earthquake."

Graham said while earthquakes can't be predicted, the seismic research centre would not be surprised if additional aftershocks are felt.

"This is normal for the magnitude earthquake we had on Tuesday, so people should be prepared for them."

Graham reiterated UWI Seismic's advice that in the event of an earthquake, you should drop, cover and hold under a strong table, desk or even your bed but not in a door frame because "door frames today are not usually built as strongly as they were many years ago."

Graham also advised against running during an earthquake, as plaster/pieces of buildings/objects could fall and hit you.

As of 10.15 am, UWI Seismic had received aftershock reports from people "as far north as Grenada and St Vincent and as far south as Guyana" in addition to people in Port of Spain, San Fernando, Claxton Bay, Cumana and Rio Claro in Trinidad while in Tobago, people in Scarborough and John Dial had contacted the centre to say they felt the earth move this morning.

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