PUBLIC ADVISORY
Thursday 23 July, 2015 – 1:15 p.m.
UWI SRC informs citizens of the elevated activity of Kick ’em Jenny
The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) assists the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWI SRC) in sensitising citizens of elevated activity of Kick ’em Jenny. Kick ’em Jenny is a submarine (underwater) volcano located 8km north of Grenada. The volcano is about 1300m high, and its summit is currently thought to be about 180m below the surface of the sea. Kick ’em Jenny is the only live (likely to erupt again) submarine volcano in the Eastern Caribbean and is also the most frequently active volcano in the region. Since it was discovered in 1939, it has erupted at least 12 times with the last eruption occurring in December 2001.
According to a press release issued by the UWI SRC, on Thursday July 23rd from 1:25 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. local time, a strong continuous signal was observed on instruments monitoring the submarine volcano. Signs of elevated seismic activity (earthquakes) began on July 11th and continue to present – for this period there have been a total of more than 200 micro and small earthquakes of varying magnitude with the largest prior to the strong signal being 3.0. Divers off the west coast of Grenada in the Moliniere Sculpture Park area have also observed the occurrence of degassing (the release of gas bubbles into the water).
As the National Disaster Office, the ODPM wishes to make citizens aware that we are in constant communication with all key stakeholders on and off-shore, both local and regional, including the UWI SRC, the National Operations Centre (NOC), Ministry of Local Government, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs and the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) of Grenada, and will continue to advise citizens if there is any impending threat at this time.
The ODPM reminds all citizens that if they have any questions or concerns to please contact our Customer Care Centre at 511 and visit our website www.odpm.gov.tt for new information on any existing threats.
Trinidad and Tobago is NOT currently under any threat and the ODPM is in close communication with the UWI Seismic Research Centre who is monitoring the situation and will advise the ODPM if the situation warrants.
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