Why 80 Earthquakes by Earthquake Unit in 2015 means Big One and Tsunami in 2017

Jamaica it seems, is overdue for an earthquake. Especially now that January 2016 is now being observed as Earthquake Month, right before Valentine's Day and Black History month in February 2015.

So says the Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies, which says that Jamaica feels some eight (80) earthquakes in 2015 as reported in the article “80 earthquakes recorded in Jamaica last year”, published Wednesday January 6, 2016, The Jamaica Gleaner.  

Interestingly, despite this seemingly high figure, the number of earthquakes felt in Jamaica is on the decline. Many Jamaicans actually did not feel many of the earthquakes detected by the twelve (12) stations across the island operated by the Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies.

In fact, of the eight (80) earthquakes in 2015, Jamaicans can only recall feeling one earthquake. This and the fact that the frequency of earthquakes is on the decline is cause for concern according to Professor Simon Mitchell of the Department of Geography and Geology at UWI.

So why is this so important even as the Zika Virus gets closer to Jamaica as it’s nowt in Martinique and Puerto Rico as reported in my blog article entitled “Why the US of A must fear Zika Virus as Dominica and Jamaica next by February 2016”?

80 Earthquakes detected by Earthquake Unit - Jamaica overdue for a Big One

Folks, trust me if you can’t feel an earthquake yet it occurred, it's mighty important!

Professor Simon Mitchell argues that since we're feeling less earthquakes, the Gonave Microplate, which is one of several plates that has fault lines running through Jamaica is ready to release it built up energy.

Just like the calm before a storm as in the case of a hurricane or shaking up a bottle of soda before opening it, so too there is slowing down period in terms of the frequency of earthquakes before the big one is ready to pop. This might seem contrary to common sense, but logic can help here.

Jamaicans only felt one (1) of the eighty (80) earthquakes. This means that they were below 2.5 in the Richter magnitude scale. Because they were so light and only detected by the twelve (12) earthquake detecting stations across the island, it implies that the pressure being released by the earthquakes is getting less and less.

That buildup of pressure is piling up and may be soon released in a huge earthquake on the same level as the one that destroyed Port Royal in 1692.

Jamaican and Tsunamis - South Coast in need of Tsunami Early Warning system

Why should this be of concern to Jamaicans?

Because not only was Port Royal destroyed, but a Tsunami also occurred, flooding most of the south coast. 

 

Jamaica is still to implement the plan to have Jamaica Tsunami Alert system at sea to give Jamaicans on the South Coast early warning before they are doomed as predicted in my blog article entitled “Tsunami watch needed urgently for Real this time”. 

If Jamaica is hit by an earthquake, 70% of building in Kingston would be destroyed as noted in my blog article entitled “70% of Kingston destroyed if earthquake hits due to Building Code delay”.

Worse, most Jamaican would die as many building are being built using faulty building blocks that have not passed the BSJ (Bureau of Standards) tests as noted in my blog article entitled “Why Collapse due to BSJ's Faulty Block makers may occur spontaneously without an Earthquake”.

Jamaica, the time is now to upgrade our JS 217: Jamaica National Building Code to New National Building Code of Jamaica.Otherwise an earthquake in 2017, will lay waste to all of Kingston, the modern day Port Royal.

Here's the link:

UPSeis Magnitude scale