With no earthquakes associated with Kick ‘em Jenny recorded since yesterday evening, the alert level for the underwater volcano off Grenada has been lowered to yellow.
The downgraded alert means that vessels can now observe a 1.5 km exclusion zone around the summit of the volcano, but mariners are still being advised to continue observing the 5 km exclusion zone that accompanied the orange alert, as a precautionary measure.
The Seismic Research Centre (SRC) says the activity level at the volcano, located 8 km north of Grenada, has reduced significantly during the last 48 hours, with no events recorded since 6 p.m. yesterday.
See Press Release from Office of Disaster Management
The Seismic Research Centre (SRC), University of the West Indies has reported that the activity levels at the Kick-‘em-Jenny under water Volcano has reduced significantly during the last 48 hours.
On Saturday, July 25th at around 5:50 p.m., a team including a Volcanologist from the SRC, Grenada’s Acting National Disaster Coordinator, and a camera person, participated in a fly over of the Kick-‘em-Jenny area by helicopter. The volcanologist, Dr. Frederic Dondie, who has conducted extensive research on Kick-‘em-Jenny, concluded, after his observations, that there was absolutely nothing unusual in the area. Observations continued into Sunday July 26th up to 6pm and there was no change from Saturday, that is, no significant activity and earthquakes were recorded.
Based on the above findings, and given the fact that the activity levels at Kick-‘em- Jenny has diminished, the Government of Grenada, based on the advice of the SRC has lowered the alert level to YELLOW with immediate effect.
The YELLOW alert level means that monitoring will continue and vessels should observe a 1.5 km exclusion zone. However, as a precautionary measure, the marine community is advised to continue observing the 5 km exclusion zone
The Office of Disaster Management in Dominica reminds of the lessons to be learnt from the recent activities in the region namely the swamp of earthquakes that occurred East of St Lucia and North East of Barbados a few weeks ago and now the volcanic activity in Grenada – and also the in the recent decade the earthquake in Haiti and the volcanic eruption in Montserrat, and hurricane Ivan in Granada and to reiterate that:
1. The Caribbean faces a multiplicity of hazards and therefore the need to strengthen our resolve towards Comprehensive Disaster Management.
2. That the earthquake, volcanic and associated hazards are real and must form part of our Disaster Risk Reduction and hazard planning processes.
3. The apparent uncertainty and anxiety that followed the recent events reiterates the fact that the public should listen to and be guided by information from authentic and authorized sources.
4. The absolute and critical need to have plans for any eventuality to include the family, institution, community plans that dove tails into the national plan.
5. The urgent need for us to be part of the disaster planning process and to join a disaster committee.
6. The continued and absolute need for a National Early Warning System for Dominica and by extension for the Caribbean, noting the fact that the major burst of activity at the Kick -em Jenny volcano occurred during late night and at times when the majority of our populations would have already retired for the evening and the majority of our radio stations would have been on automated broadcast.
The ODM views the establishing of a National Early Warning System (NEWS) for Dominica as HIGH PRIORITY and is well on its way to rolling out the program. We are however depending on the critical organizations including the service providers to give full and unconditional support for the early warning system given the overall objective of the NEWS which is to reduce loss of live and property.
In the interim the general public is invited to log in to the ODM Website at www.odm.gov for further information on the Comprehensive Disaster Management strategy with links to the CDEMA WEBSITE, THE SRC WEBSITS AND ALSO THE MET OFFICE WEBSITE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT AND FOR UP TO DATE WEATHER INFORMATION AND FORECAST.
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