Barbados Experiences Earth Tremor

300_15.gif

Barbados experienced a nerve racking earth tremor moments ago. Stay tuned for more information! – see link for current status of tremor

Update:

3.18 PM– Initial reports indicate that some cell and land phones are out.

3.29 – Initial reports indicate that the earthquake/tremor has stretched as far as Antigua in the North and Guyana in the South

3.30 – The USGS website currently reporting the magnitude of the earthquake at 7.3

3.45 – Check this link as well for updates

3.51 – Early assessment of damage on the island indicate some houses have been damaged in St. George and St. Philip

3.59

Powerful Earthquake Hits Caribbean
22 minutes ago
ROSEAU, Dominica (AP) — A powerful earthquake rocked the eastern Caribbean on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. No damage was immediately reported.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.3, was centered 23 miles southeast of Roseau, the capital of Dominica, where the shaking lasted for about 20 seconds. The quake was felt as far away as Puerto Rico.
The quake struck at 2 p.m. EST at a depth of 90 miles beneath the surface of the Earth, according to the geological survey’s Web site. – thanks to Adrian L

4.14 – Grantley Adams management gives all clear the the airport is OPEN

4.25 – Reports indicate that there is gridlock in Bridgetown . Police Force issues a warning to the public to avoid Bridgetown

4.55 A sense of calm and normalcy starting to return to the island

5.15- Several public pre-Independence events have been canceled including the Democratic Labour Party meeting in Independence Square previously scheduled for 6.30 PM

6.45 – See update on Trinidad & Tobago with reference to other islands

9.00 – Read about some of the experiences of Barbadians

70 thoughts on “Barbados Experiences Earth Tremor


  1. Note received from Adrian L

    Friends at BU and BFP

    We have just experienced an earth tremor for duration of two
    minutes or so.

    Metrological office have evacuated their building after confirming same experience.

    Our Swimming Pool experienced a huge flood with big waves.

    Adrian
    At Peach and Quiet


  2. My wife just called from Trinidad and it was felt there. Students from St. Vincent are reporting that it was felt in St. Vincent as well.


  3. I was in my car on Spring Garden hwy, almost was in a smash up, managed to avoid. AVOID Bridgetown, it is gridlocked.


  4. My prayer goes out to all the folks in blog country and hope that you and your love ones are save. Please ensure that you follow information from the radio station and even this blog.


  5. Any word on the DLP Independence Rally in Independence Square?

    What about the Prime Minister’s Gala at Illaro Court?

    Please post confirmation accordingly.


  6. Near Disaster but no disaster thankfully.

    No need to get overly excited.

    I am sure that the AG or the DPM or ASSCOLL will before the cameras shortly making the most of his camera opportunity.

    Fankology, Would you care to place a bet on this happening??

    I can see no real reason for any postponement of any planned event for tonight.

    We had a tremor, thankfully it was not more severe but it is done end of story.


  7. Felt it here in Christ Church as well… very surreal. I’m amazed that it was regionwide. I hope that there is not a tsunami or anything… at least a warning if there is. My cell phone went offline for about 20 mins (Cable and Wireless.. figures huh?) and I coudlnt get thru to anybody at all.

    My brother called from Trinidad to tell me they felt it as just a tremor. Amazing huh? Barbados never has earthquakes or as my granny called it, earth shakes. I’m also hearing a house fell into a gully but I’m not sure where and that Warrens is also gridlocked and that people ran out into the road and thought it was the end of the world.

    My prayers go out to everybody who was on the road at the time. If it was so scary for me here at home sitting down, imagine how it was for them driving, including the speed racers.


  8. The RBPF plan to evacuate Bridgetown in the event of a disaster clearly needs some re-thinking. If this has been a disaster it would appear that those of us unfortunate enough to work in the area would be toast.


  9. Its a wake up call for Barbadians and Caribbean people to become more aware of their environment. The incident in Brittons Hill was just the start to bigger things to come. Its time we pray and asks the almighty to surround us with his love.

  10. Pingback: » Stunned to Hear of Earthquake in Barbados Keltruth Corp.: News Blog of Keltruth Corp. - Miami, Florida, USA.

  11. Pingback: Global Voices Online » Caribbean: Earthquake Tremors


  12. Some months back Trinidad had an Earthquake, during the aftershocks Patrick Manning was making a speech, told the audience not to worry it was an aftershock, and then business resumed as usual. Canceling events in BIM, I’m disappointed…even nn the land of “when we go make a lime” (TnT) they got back to business.


  13. Bare in mind TnT used to Earhquakes. I don’t think anybody had a choice about cancelling anything. Most people were so shook up they went home anyhow. And what’s the point of having your event if everybody gine be home in their bed?


  14. MakaDummy,

    Do you live in Barbados?

    Barbados is Barbados and Trinidad is Trinidad.

    There will be very few Bajans here who will be in any “party” mood tonight.


  15. frankology // November 29, 2007 at 4:30 pm
    My prayer goes out to all the folks in blog country and hope that you and your love ones are save. Please ensure that you follow information from the radio station and even this blog.
    ……………………………………………………………………..
    Before you condemn me, you should have check that I posted a positive message, unlike you, who is just waiting to accuse someone. My asking those questions was just to get information so that people would not waste time going to any of these events.
    So
    “notesfromthemargin”,
    “Dmarehole”, and
    “Pride and Industry”
    Please read before commenting. It will save you embarrassment.


  16. It was my first ever experience of an earthquake tremor.

    Just like you and others I have heard on the radio, the first thing I noticed was an odd feeling of dizziness as if I was sick. Immediately afterwards I feel the office chair moving slightly and I rolled it a bit to make sure it was steady. At the same time I started to feel tremors as if the walls of the building were shaking or if something big was being dropped outside. That was when I first started to feel concerned, and left the room where I was to check with others. There must have been some fleeting thought of the recent Brittons Hill cave-in. When I realised that others had felt it too, I rushed out of the building only to be confronted with the horrible sight of people streaming out of a multi-story glass building next door which was shaking from side to side, and looking like it was ready to collapse. It looked like a scene from a movie. I could not believe it was happening. Trying to call family and others across the island was futile… the lines were down, but shortly after it happened some of the people in the building had managed to call out and get word that other places in Barbados had felt it too. It was hard not knowing what was happening at my parents’ house.

    The psychological (after) shock will do far more damage to people here than the actual shock. A lot of people will need some form of counseling. Thinking about it so much makes my head spin from time to time, and when that happens it feels just like the dizziness I experienced when it all started and I wonder if another tremor is coming on. Later in the day and into tonight I heard reports from friends, family and on the news of vehicles bouncing up and down, and people running through the city in panic. Thankfully I was outside the city at the time, and everything I have heard tells me that you would not have wanted to be in Bridgetown this evening. As I headed for home my escape route passed the west coast and thoughts of a tsunami wave added to the dread. As I have heard many other people say today, it was the most frightening experience of my life. Condolences to the girl who was killed in either Guadeloupe or Martinique. There remains a real possibility that there were other deaths as yet unreported. The only person in Barbados who told me he didn’t feel it was a man who was sleeping at the time.

    Just as with Arch Cot, the next big question is, when will the next one come?

    Despite the fright, the most important thing is, we are still alive.

    It is one of those special things in life where every person will remember exactly what they were doing when it happened and what they did when it happened. Big men today were not afraid to come on radio and TV and say they were frightened. I was frightened as hell.

    ~B~F~P~E~


  17. Do you know that we are talking about the 7.4 Earthquake off Martinique at 3.00 p.m, but do you know that two other earthquakes occurred off Dominica, one at 3.34 p.m with a 5.0 magnitude; and the other at 4.11 p.m with a 4.8 magnitude.

    Do you know that up to 10 minutes ago, 28 earthquakes occurred throughout the world today, and 23 occurred yesterday.

    Over 100 earthquakes occurred throughout the world in the last five days and the Caribbean had the strongest, 7.4 magnitude.

    We surely must give thanks, because some countries obtain lots more structural damages and deaths from 7.0 mag up.


  18. Something is very wrong.

    I started experiencing increasing dizziness over the past hour.

    There is a live radio call-in program on VOB right now. A lady called not long ago to report that she was still having the headaches. Many other people have been calling in to report the dizziness or sickness they felt when it started.

    I do not feel good at all. One of my sisters reported earlier that she was smelling gas around my house.

    Something is very wrong in Barbados.

    Maybe we will all be dead tomorrow.

    ~B~F~P~E~


  19. I forgot to mention… on TV they showed some pictures of deep cracks opened in the road in Bridgetown.

    I hope my prolonged dizziness is unrelated to today’s shaking. I washed my hair this morning and I think I forgot to dry it… that always gives me headaches later, so maybe the entire island ISN’T going to be killed overnight by escaped underground poisonous gas.

    🙁


  20. I’m still feeling dizzy and any movement which is not from myself leaves me a bit worried.

    From the reports on television most people complain of dizziness.


  21. A man from St. George just called VOB and reported that cocks in his area have been crowing constantly. Why cocks suddenly crowing at this time of the night?

    Now I am frightened again.


  22. Alanis,

    Hmmm.

    Did you hear the reports earlier tonight about why almost all the gas stations had been asked to close?It was so that checks could be done on the underground storage tanks.

    But forget gasolene… I’m worried about something else underground having been ruptured.

    Barbados will not rest easy tonight.


  23. Yes, I heard about the gas station.

    Initially when it happened I was in Warrens and first thing I thought of was another cave in.. since then my head just hurting and i tried sleeping ..not working.


  24. Alanis,

    The dizziness could be psychological, or physical, or entirely unrelated. The entire experience was after all quite a big shock to Barbadians.

    I don’t feel sleepy either, and my head is hurting like mad. It could be one of those mind things… I wonder if wondering whether it is something sinister only makes the situation worse.

    I’ve got DirecTV and will be entertaining myself until whenever I get sleepy.

    And may I say Happy Independence to you!

    🙂


  25. I wonder what this kind of stuff does to those ‘sink holes’ on that little limestone rock of an island i was so lucky to be born on…. What would happen if it were to happen again and this time be a REAL issue? is there any kind of organized preparation/relief/assistance/aide setup just incase of such an emergency? I can only quote Dave Chapelle, “When black people’s lights go out they panic, when white people’s lights go out they plan it!!”


  26. By the way… for all those who think the end is near… the end was always near, the end comes and goes in other countries so many times its a lifestyle, Perhaps this is a sign to all to repent or be swallowed up by the earth, or maybe its just the beginning of a new land mass which will come to be called “Barbadominlupinagonique-idad” LOL, if so i callin dibbz for the first mansion, and the first law i hope would be proposed, ‘Nobattiman Pon Melan’ law aka the
    Noble Erskin Livere law. named after the son of Noble Ershod Livever who started the Moefyah ‘we ago bun dem out’ Labor Party.

    No i did not go sniffin the cracks in the roads for gas!!


  27. Happy Independence to all and enjoy your day.

    I finally got sleep after 1 am and i now got up. My head is still hurting a bit but this too shall pass.


  28. Another tremor occurred around midnight in the Martinique area again. This time it was 5.1 magnitude.

    We escape any serious damages due to the depth of these earthquakes. We would have been singing a different tune if it was closer to surface.


  29. We should be praying for being save from that earthquake. If the earthquake was closer to the surface instead of the over 83 miles in depth, we would have received endless destruction.


  30. I was in Swan Street. I found it interesting that within minutes of the tremors, people on the streets were saying that this sign from above means that Barbados needs change. “We got to get rid of this government!”

    One comment related to the ship with the gays on it that was coming to the island and the view was this this was a sign of punishment for our country within hours of independence.

    Owen Arthur needs to heed this warning. The time is drawing nigh!


  31. Velzo,

    “I found it interesting that within minutes of the tremors, people on the streets were saying that this sign from above means that Barbados needs change. “We got to get rid of this government!””

    ………………………………………………………………..

    Stupid Desperate Lies.

    Get a life, you clown.


  32. lol de bible suh in de last days there will be earthquakes in diverse places, rumours of war, war, famines and nations rising against nations, dis int got nuttin ta do wid buhbadus as a nation, wunna failing to see we living in de final days

    loooka america falling, islamic nations joining forces with other allies, america gine tru some serious stuff now like de dollar fall, drought and ting so, dont be blinded people, every country got wicked people, god int mek buhbadus alone

    nuttin ta do wid buhbadus want change, signs of the times

    check dis link hay so look
    http://www.konig.org/wc105.htm

    “…nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places” (Matt. 24:7).


  33. and buhbadus had quakes b4 fuh who tink we neva did, read up on wunna history like in 1953, and de great lisbon earthquake which shook many nations, and i mean many nations as far as de same puerto rico, bcaw ya dont hear bout um dont mean um neva happen

    bermuda triangle is a perfect example with barbados, i bet wunna int know bout de US navy ship name de USS Cyclops under de command of Lieutenant Commander G. W. Worley, went missing widout a trace wid a crew of 306 sometime after March 4, 1918, after departing the island of Buhbadus.

    and still we neva hear bout dis to dis date.


  34. wow… yall on some paranormal shit… end of days, the judgement day, final days… woooowww… well heads up horses and mules livvin in doom therez a carrot only a few feet away.. open yall eyez and see right, the earth itself is a saftey hazzard, its just we is livin organismz ‘parasites rather’ of this planet. How will we live if any of this never happened? land would sink witout earthquakes, it would always be hot one place or cold the other witout the occasional ‘high wind’ be it “nor’ easters” hurricanes, floods only bathe the landz, lightnin is a form of energy conversion, avalanches and landslides are from gravity…. bla bla bla bla bla.. if u dont want heatwaves drought go live on another planet, it too cold? move to mars or venus, cant take hurricanes? the moon ther n no air aint ther. U believe in God? Praise him that u aint get exposed to the extremes of any of the above mentioned n never live to blog a bout it.

  35. Pingback: Caraïbe, Séisme et Blogosphère » Le Web Multiculturel


  36. KaeOS u sound like a real poppit in trut, little do you know i have experienced all types of weather except tornadoes, well if dont believe there is a god, then sorry to say u too far gone, just a question for ya if u believe in de big bang theory, who created what ever started the big bang, as long as something exist, there must be a creator

    common sense not rocket science, look fuh some and get sumting in ya head

    Hard Driver, boy de bible said earthquakes in diverse places, it never said they will increase, do you know what diverse mean? in case u int know diverse means many places not increase or decrease activity


  37. Kadri:

    As you have look’d fuh some and got sumting in ya head, common sense invites the question “Who created the creator, and out of what?”

    What’s your answer?


  38. USGS reports a 5.4 magnitude quake at 8.11 a.m this morning, located between Martinique and Dominica at a depth of 101 miles..the same area as the 7.4 on November 29th.

    Tremors felt in St. Lucia.


  39. Interesting aspect of this discussion. God, the creator of all that we see and can’t see is said to be omniscient, omnipotent and any other oms you can come up with. I asked the pundits in another place this question.

    How could or why would an omniscient, omnipotent entity create a flawed thing (man) supposedly in his own image? …and then try to hold his creation to standards which he must have known would not be met… and then condemn him to eternal damnation when he fails to reach or maintain those standards.

    And he sure seems to have created a flawed planet, what with all the volcanoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, etc that have been killing off his other creation since time immemorial.

    Perhaps the pundits here can put me right.


  40. Inkwell,
    “Where ignorance is bliss it is folly to be wise… ” But I am not very wise – so let me jump in here…

    There are lots of things that you don’t understand – this in itself does not make them ‘flawed’ – (how much do you know of the Gauss Seidel approach to solving multiple simultaneous equations?)

    As someone who completely understands the Gauss Seidel method as well as the plan that the great creator has in place – and which is proceeding EXACTLY as perfectly designed – I am suggesting humbly to you that you consider the slight possibility that your lack of understanding may be a case of personal ignorance rather that ‘flawed’ design.

    If you are really interested -(under a different thread) I would be happy to expand….


  41. Thanks for the offer, Bush Tea, but I’m afraid my inferior intellect would not be able to fathom the teachings of one who has a complete understanding of the plan that the great creator has in place – and which is proceeding EXACTLY as perfectly designed.

    I’d rather be afflicted with my ignorance than your arrogance. I was interested in a discussion, not a sermon.

    There is a cryptic saying which I think you might adopt: “Those who think they know everything are very annoying to those of us who do.”


  42. Why were school children told to evacuate schools today in the rain when the rumour appeared that an earthquake was COMING!!!

  43. Pingback: Tsunami Preparedness In The Caribbean «


  44. I am one of the few persons who didn’t experiece the tremor. I was travelling in a vehicle and didn’t feel a thing. I probably wouldn’t be here today if I did. My heart would’ve failed me. That much I know.


  45. I remember this day like yesterday…..people jumping out their cars ..in the middle of the road …and running like hell…..a day i hope will never be repeated.

The blogmaster dares you to join the discussion.