# 8308
Just over a month ago, after a pair of earthquakes stuck Cuba (m 5.1) and just north of Puerto Rico (m 6.4), we talked about The Caribbean’s Hidden Tsunami Potential, and its not inconsequential history of seismic events. Earthquakes, major volcanic eruptions, and deadly tsunamis – while rare – are not unheard of across the Caribbean basin.
Earlier this morning another earthquake – this time pegged by the USGS as a 6.5 magnitude – struck west of Barbados, and while it doesn’t appear to have generated a tsunami or produced any serious damage in the region, reminds us of the destructive potential of such quakes in the region.
The NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued the following statement regarding this quake:
EVALUATION
A DESTRUCTIVE WIDESPREAD TSUNAMI THREAT DOES NOT EXIST BASED ON HISTORICAL EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI DATA. HOWEVER - THERE IS THE SMALL POSSIBILITY OF A LOCAL OR REGIONAL TSUNAMI THAT COULD AFFECT COASTS LOCATED USUALLY NO MORE THAN A FEW HUNDRED KILOMETERS FROM THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. AUTHORITIES IN THE REGION NEAR THE EPICENTER SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBILITY.
Early reports from Sky News indicated no damage at the Island’s capital city Bridgetown.
While rare, READY.GOV has a Tsunami Awareness Page with helpful hints. NOAA provides several useful documents, including a Tsunami Zone PDF (see below) and Tsunami Web page.
Tsunami awareness and preparedness for those in living or working in coastal regions is just one facet of what should be an all-threats preparedness plan, designed to handle a wide range of scenarios including tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and even a pandemic.
As we move towards the spring severe storm season, and ultimately back into the Atlantic Hurricane season, now is a good time to review and refresh your emergency preparedness plans.
For more on disaster preparedness, I would invite you to visit Ready.gov, FEMA, or revisit these blogs:
In An Emergency, Who Has Your Back?
