Earthquake Rattles Islands Across Caribbean

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the Caribbean on Nov. 29, shaking the ground (and many local residents) and causing damage in Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Dominica, among other islands. The quake was centered on a fault lying 90 miles below the ocean surface about 13 miles northwest of Martinique and occurred at about 3 p.m. yesterday.

Martinique tourism officials said that the island's airport and hotels were "unscathed" by the temblor; however, there was structural damage reported on the island -- including the collapse of at least one building and a bank -- and phone and electrical services were knocked out in some areas. News reports indicated that buildings also had beeen damaged in Guadeloupe and Barbados, and about 100 injuries were reported in Martinique. The earthquake sent panicked people on the islands running from buildings, Reuters and the AFP reported.

“We’re still gathering information, but initial reports are very positive,” said Muriel Wiltord, director Americas for the Martinique Promotion Bureau in New York. “People on-island are, understandably, feeling a bit jumpy, but really we were very lucky. The experts at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii are saying there is no chance of a tsunami tied to the quake as it occurred so deep in the ocean floor, so we have a lot to be thankful for.”

The Associated Press reported that the quake caused minor damage in St. Lucia and St. Vincent, and that some people in Martinique were injured when they jumped out of building windows in panic. A handful of deaths also were reported across the region, including that of a young girl in Guadeloupe who was crushed by a collapsing wall.

I think it's fair to say that when you think about potential natural disasters in the Caribbean, the last thing you think about is earthquakes. Hurricanes, undoubtedly. Even the occasional erupting volcano. But until yesterday, many of us weren't even aware that there were earthquakes in the Caribbean.

But scientists will tell you that earthquakes can occur anywhere in the world, and in fact Dominica was hit by a strong earthquake in 2004.

Fault lines like California's San Andreas get all the press because they are close to the surface and are very active. But quakes can also hit deep faults under places like New England, and some of the most powerful earthquakes recorded in the U.S. were centered on the New Madrid fault in Missouri.

By the way, for comparison's sake, the 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco was estimated as a magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale. So, this week's Caribbean earthquake was quite powerful, and local residents and visitors are right to count their blessings that the damage appears to be relatively mild.