Earthquake strikes west of Trinidad

Shortly after midday on Monday, for the second consecutive week, parts of Trinidad were jolted by a light magnitude 4.6 earthquake west of the country.

The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre recorded this quake at 86 kilometres depth.

The Centre also notes that this earthquake has been reviewed by an analyst.

This earthquake was reportedly widely felt across Northern and Central Trinidad.

Earthquakes in this area are typical for Trinidad and Tobago. This is the third felt earthquake this month, with the last two occurring on August 23rd at a magnitude 4.0 and the other, a magnitude 4.4, on August 12th.

Generally, across the Eastern Caribbean, a seismically active area, earthquakes of this magnitude, up to M8.0 and greater, are possible. Seismologists have repeated this statement at the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre for decades.

Each year, over 2,200 seismic events are recorded in the Eastern Caribbean. On average, the Eastern Caribbean has seen a pattern of major (M7.0-M7.9) quakes every 20 to 30 years. That pattern has stayed true. The last major earthquake occurred north of Martinique in 2007.

Three years ago, on August 21st and August 22nd, 2018, Trinidad and Tobago was struck by two large earthquakes registering a magnitude 6.9 and 5.9, respectively, the largest quakes to strike near T&T in recent history.

Reporter: Kalain Hosein