Plea to stop vandalising earthquake and volcanic monitoring equipment

Equipment, like the Volcano 'spider,' are used to monitor earthquake and volcanic activity
Equipment, like the Volcano ‘spider,’ are used to monitor earthquake and volcanic activity

An Education Officer from the Trinidad-base Seismic Research Center is pleading with the public to stop vandalizing equipment used for monitoring earthquakes and volcanic activity after a station was destroyed in the Valley of Desolation.

According to Stacey Edwards when equipment are tampered with or destroyed, the entire country is at risk.

She told a workshop on Monday that although equipment tampering is a problem in Dominica, it is not unique to the island.

“In general we find that tampering with the monitoring equipment is a problem with the islands including Dominica,” she said. “One of the cases we wanted to highlight in Dominica was the station that is at the entrance of the valley of Desolation that was seriously vandalized. The station does not exist; the solar panels were removed, the station was destroyed.”

Edwards said these stations which are extremely costly and are critical in the monitoring earthquakes and volcanic activities.

“The seismic stations are critical for us in monitoring volcanoes and it can be used to see if there are any earthquakes occurring around the volcanoes because many times these earthquakes are not felt and this increase activity around the volcano is a sign that the volcano may be erupting,” she noted.

She said if equipment are tampered with then those monitoring them will not know what is happening.

“This means we have no eyes and ears on the volcanoes and it puts the public at risk,” she stated.

She said any information received in terms of changes in volcanic activity from the monitoring equipment is immediately communicated to the Office of Disaster Management, “but again if people tamper with this equipment we are unable to do our jobs efficiently and it puts Dominicans at risk”.

She said there is no way of keeping an eye on the equipment since they are in remote locations.

“There is no way of monitoring this equipment, the equipment is in remote areas on most parts,” Edwards pointed out. “We try to put the equipment inconspicuous areas where people may not know where they are but it would be tedious to assign someone the task of monitoring all of this equipment. Some of the equipment is in the Valley of Desolation areas that are not inaccessible but difficult to get to”.

She once again called upon the support and corporation of the citizenry to leave the equipment alone.

She mentioned that they are now all labeled ‘Seismic Research Center for monitoring earthquakes and volcanoes do not tamper with this equipment’.

Edwards stated that vandalism of equipment has occurred more than once in Dominica..

“So we urge the public for their own safety do not tamper with the equipment,” she said.

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41 Comments

  1. Chocolate Rose
    June 21, 2014

    It is a shame that in a land that is in active earthquake zone that people would should to vandalize the very equipment that is needed to monitor seismic activity in order to protect their life from pending eruptions! Wake up nature island as though your island is beautiful, danger lies within so please show some respect and work along with the seismic community!

  2. stephen
    October 16, 2013

    With all that hate, envy, disrespect, lawlessness and violence that is being preached on the talk shows what do you expect. Is government thing that have to do with the geothermal plant let us mash that up

    • ...
      October 16, 2013

      stephen you’re a perfect example of a village idiot. Do you even know what this equipment is used for? how it helps you and your family know about earthquakes and tremors? so..because you dont like the government in power, you are for destroying the equipment that may just save your life because it is owned by the government. douches! say this geothermal thing does really happen.. i sincerely hope you and all your family and lved ones fully benefit from it…and one day you turn around and say “i was a complete fool for thinking how i thought” but no.. u want to mash it up..

      • Anonymous
        October 16, 2013

        Did you even read Stephen’s comments and understand what he has said?

  3. bougla
    October 16, 2013

    the criminal should be shot in the legs!

  4. Anonymous
    October 16, 2013

    Now, now now there’s a job for NJIC to do. The guilty party(ies) out to be found out and punished.

  5. Piping hot
    October 15, 2013

    Only a moron or an evil person would do that. The Valley of Desolation is a remote location, so the suspects are limited to visitors to that area. It makes you wonder the lengths some people will go to.

    This equipment is of national importance and everything should be done to protect it. Some special remote cameras should be setup and the person(s) punished with no bail, some serous jail time and a large fine. Zero tolerance for such reckless behaviour.

  6. BRAIN DAMAGE
    October 15, 2013

    Since they have taken the sola panels for personal use, place a reward on their damage brain, see how fast the culprits will be caught.

  7. Anonymous
    October 15, 2013

    The thieves and liars they do abound here. Nothing but destructive do nothings.

  8. Justice and Truth
    October 15, 2013

    The person who vandalized this equipment is in need of learning about discipline and respect for the property of others. If anyone knows who know who did it should report the perpetrator(s) to the police.
    A sensible person should have at least a fair knowledge of the reason why it was placed there in the first place; not for tampering with, vandalizing and theft.
    All the way at the Valley of Desolation someone would vandalize and steal the equipment? It should indicate to that person it was placed there for an important reason and should not be touched.
    A hidden camera should be set up to catch anyone who vandalizes it. Hope this will be done and soon enough.

  9. Udon reader
    October 15, 2013

    Simple… Cameras and warnings signs from police.

  10. Dr. B
    October 15, 2013

    what a shame
    what a shame

  11. seriously???
    October 15, 2013

    Earthquake monitoring equipment is important in monitoring the seismic activity in an around Dominica. you must be some sort of MORON to go around vandalizing stuff like that. !!!

  12. "O" STRESS"
    October 15, 2013

    Sick, Sick, people with wicked minds would do such, again its all over not only in Dominica`s case. But there`s no excuse for such behavior. We can equip them with G.P.S. devices with all activities including taking photos of the persons responsible for vandalizing those volcanic spiders. Have a central information center where all activities can be transmitted to that central location. All it might take is to make an example of one individual as in other cases others might think twice before committing such crime. We can do it Yes we Can. We sent man and woman to the moon.

  13. Surething
    October 15, 2013

    Well, well. What can I say? We are definitely going backwards instead of forward. Whoever is doing this please seek help, because you need it. Perhaps government need to make an announcement on TV or radio about the use and benefits of such equequipment to educate communities.

  14. kunoo mounoo
    October 15, 2013

    if they had work to do they would not have been bored with nothing else to do but destroy,,give the young work,i am no longer young but i want this and all our future goverments to take care of our most precious natural resourcemno not water,not geothermal,our kids,and all you complaining about vandels have forgotten in your hypocritical middle age that vandalizam is a direct result of hopeless,bored,ingnored youth in our midsts,stop complaining about our children and help them !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Omg
      October 16, 2013

      Teach them well so they won’t have to depend on governments..Teach them well so that they are well mannered to not intercept in such wickedness!

    • JAckBlack
      October 16, 2013

      If they did not have work to do? The amount of garden that being neglected because people don’t want to till the land, the street sides full of garbage in some places, some of them own damn house out of order. If people want to be wicked they will be wicked because there is plenty of work to be done.

    • haha
      October 16, 2013

      someone had to make this a political issue smdh

    • papa met!
      October 16, 2013

      whether they have work to do or not some people will find time to vandalize stuff. they just plain abutiary

  15. Here we go Again
    October 15, 2013

    These are the same people who vandalized the Chino-Dominica Bridge…go figure

  16. patriot
    October 15, 2013

    There is a high demand for solar panels especially among the youth. once the opportunity presents itself they will remove the panels for their use.

  17. Lougaoo Mem
    October 15, 2013

    Education, education, education. What’s going on people? I can’t even imagine what would drive someone or individuals to vandalize an instrument that’s so critical in monitoring volcanic activities on the island, especially during the early stages of our geothermal development. I’m totally bewildered about the destruction of such an important equipment. Oh God! We are badly in need of guidance.

  18. my 2cents
    October 15, 2013

    Those of us who have a bit of sense would obviously not do such a thing. What I am more interested in is knowing what is one thinking when they vandalize property, deface bus stops and schools with onbscene graffiti. Come on guys I really want to hear. You are free to speak here with full anonymity. At least then I might be able to say I understand why

    • DA
      October 15, 2013

      Some of us never had toys; Solar panels can make good addition to our wooden truck

  19. DBusiness
    October 15, 2013

    See whhy black people cya have good things!!

  20. Krazy
    October 15, 2013

    like seriously… are these people mad to vandalize equipment for monitoring earthquakes.. i would hold that person and throw them in the boilling lake…

    now was there a sign which indicates what the site set up was for?????

    • Dubique767
      October 15, 2013

      So, in absence of a sign, it is open to vandalism, or theft? Is that what you are saying? C’est pas bagay ou. Pas touchai. It’s fundamental…

    • Stealth Critique
      October 15, 2013

      Even without a sign, people shouldn’t just go around vandalizing things.

    • DOMINICA
      October 15, 2013

      It do not matter sign up or down. You did not put it or you are not working for the company, do not deal with it.

  21. real possie
    October 15, 2013

    Why would one even think of doing such a thing if u have no idea what it is why tamper with it,now these same people wld look for someone to blame when disaster strike laws should be put in place that if caught doing that no less than five years in jail for the mare fact that you putting every one on island life at risk.And one year for those that go around painting fire hydrant other than its original color.

  22. Free Thinker
    October 15, 2013

    I am so ashamed of the level of ignorance that exists among my people…………Lord help us!!

  23. brains
    October 15, 2013

    That person hand was itching them man

  24. Chupes
    October 15, 2013

    Well this is why public sensitization is important. You guys can’t take it for granted that all persons would know or appreciate the importance of these items in the field.

    • FED UP DOMINICAN
      October 15, 2013

      It makes no difference if you do not know what the equipment is for, or how important it is. The fact that it does not belong to you should be enough to tell you DO NOT TOUCH.

      Some people are just bad minded and wicked.

    • Stealth Critique
      October 15, 2013

      Even if all the device did was use up electricity, no one should destroy it.

    • Really!
      October 15, 2013

      Those people know what they’re doing. Now if something had to go wrong to endanger people’s lives, I can assure you that there will be those who would jump and say its because of the Governemt Geothermal programmer.

  25. goose and gander
    October 15, 2013

    WHY ON EARTH WOULD ANYONE DO THIS!!! Some people are too idle and bad mind!!!

  26. October 15, 2013

    why would a Dominica do a thing like that really I would like too know,that person have too be mad crazy sick or something :-| :-|

  27. stop
    October 15, 2013

    put out bounty on the head of the vandals . jail them when they are fouind

  28. grell
    October 15, 2013

    Bunch of idiots,

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