Gonave Microplate
Posted by JAC on 5/17/2011, 7:30 am



A moderate earthquake of M 4.7-5.0 rattled Jamaica today causing panic but no damages or reported casualties. It was located about 40 km south of Montego Bay. Shoppers ran into the streets and many people stayed outdoors for fear of aftershocks. Office buildings were evacuated in Kingston and Montego Bay. The University of West Indies reported M 5.0 for this event.

NEIC reported this earthquake was felt in Jamaica in Clarendon at Chapelton; (3) at Hayes (3),  Clarendon May Pen 4; Clarendon Osbourne Store 4; Hanover Green Island 3; at Lucea (2),  in Kingston at Mona; (2) in Manchester at Mandeville; (4) Saint Andrew Constant Spring 3; Saint Andrew Gordon Town 3; felt  Saint Andrew Half Way Tree 3, at Kingston 3, Saint Andrew Stony Hill 3; Saint Ann Moneague 4; Saint Ann Ocho Rios 2; Saint Ann Runaway Bay 2; Saint Catherine Above Rocks 4; at Linstead 4, felt  Saint Catherine Old Harbour Bay 4, at Portmore 2, Saint Catherine Spanish Town 2; Saint Elizabeth Black River 4; at Malvern 3, Saint Elizabeth Santa Cruz 5;, at Siloah 3, at Southfield 4,  Saint James Cambridge 4; Saint James Montego Bay 4; Saint Mary Anotto Bay 3;, at Highgate 4, Saint Mary Lucky Hill 4; in Trelawney at Falmouth; (3) Westmoreland Savanna la Mar 4; and Westmoreland White House 2.

This is the second earthquake to hit Jamaica in the past 10 days. At the time of the M 4.2 on May 6 we reported in this summary:

"A moderate earthquake was felt in the region of Jamaica today. NEIC reported this event was felt with intensity IV in Kingston, Mona and Gordon Town; and II-III in Constant Spring, Half Way Tree, Port Antonio, Portmore, Spanish Town and Stony Hill in the regions of Jamaica of Saint Andrew, Kingston, Portland, and Saint Catherine. This is the first earthquake reported by NEIC to occur in Jamaica in at least three years. The last earthquake located in Jamaica of M>=4.2 occurred 13 years ago on October 8, 1998 with a similar M 4.2. Only one other event of larger magnitude has occurred in Jamaica in the past 21 year - an M 5.5 on January 13, 1993.  This earthquake continues the activation of the northern Caribbean region which is  probably precursory to a great earthquake in the region." (May 7, 2011)



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4.7 Quake Jamaica - JAC, 5/16/2011, 12:06 pm
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