An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 on the Richter scale rattled Montserrat during the early hours of Tuesday, February 15, 2022.
The Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of The University of the West Indies said there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage linked to the quake, which occurred at 4:03 am and was located at Latitude: 16.74N, Longitude: 61.35W and at a depth of 19 kilometres.
The SRC said that the tremor was felt 58 km northeast of Point-à-Pitre, the capital of Guadeloupe, 69 km south-east of St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda and 60 km north of the Dominican capital, Roseau.
The earthquake was also felt in several Caribbean islands, and there are no reports of aftershocks so far.Residents on Montserrat say they were awakened from their sleep by some strong shaking which, according to Scientists, was due to light vibration in the area of the epicentre.
The Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) is reminding residents that as soon as they feel an earthquake, it is critical to Drop, Cover, and Hold On to protect themselves from serious injury during a major earthquake. DROP to the ground. Take COVER under a sturdy table or desk. HOLD ON to the table or desk so that it continues to shelter you throughout the earthquake.
The earthquake this morning is a stark reminder that now is an opportune time to practice earthquake safety actions such as reviewing your Family Emergency Plans and practising the three easy earthquake safety steps – Drop, Cover, and Hold On.
Continue to monitor DMCA Facebook, Instagram and Twitter social media sites and our website http://dmca.gov.ms for daily weather updates, public advisories and warnings and information on natural and man-made hazards to which Montserrat is prone.
Disclaimer: The Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) is the national body responsible for coordinating the management of emergencies and disasters in Montserrat, and not an official Meteorological Agency. The Information disseminated by the Department is gathered from a number of professional sources utilized by the DMCA and the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services, the agency responsible for aviation weather products and services for Montserrat.