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alexk
Guest
There was chaos yesterday from the most violent earthquake to hit T&T in this century!
Buildings suffered structural damage, there were electricity outages in the East and West, police were on high alert - and inspections are set to be carried out in full force this morning.
This after Trinidad and Tobago yesterday got the shock of its collective life around 5.31 pm when the “monster” earthquake hit T&T, part of a wave extending to Grenada. Its actual epicentre was in northern Venezuela where it was felt at a level of 7.3 on the Richter scale according to US estimates.
In T&T, the 90-second earthquake measured 6.9 according to T&T’s Seismic Research Centre at St Augustine. The epicentre was in the Paria peninsula, with the north/west of T&T registering the quake’s strongest hit, SRC stated. The event came in waves of very strong intensity, subsiding slightly and resuming heavy shaking, followed by tangible multiple after-shocks. The centre confirmed that less intense after-shocks were still occurring past 9 pm last night and could continue for months with an earthquake as strong as yesterday’s event.
SRC officials told T&T Guardian that yesterday’s event was the strongest earthquake to hit this country in more than a century. The largest was in 1776 when a 7.8 ‘quake destroyed T&T’s capital, which was then at St Joseph. It was later rebuilt in PoS.
When yesterday’s “monster” unleashed its full strength, screams, shock, panic and fear gripped many citizens from north to south as they endured the violent rocking, rolling and shaking, plus strong multiple after-shocks for the 90-second duration.
In Port-of-Spain where all types of damage were reported, people fled buildings once the initial rocking subsided.
Police, emergency and Government teams went into action immediately after the event occurred.
Communication Minister Stuart Young, who appeared on a national TV programme to update the country on measures being taken, urged citizens not to panic.
Parts of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in PoS were damaged and the cross atop the Trinity Cathedral was also bent out of shape, crookedly.
Several Government officials at a meeting at the Hyatt Regency hotel reported some damage there. Udecott chairman Noel Garcia said the hotel’s communication tower was damaged and Hyatt crews immediately evacuated the hotel and went room to room to check on guests and damage.
A shocked Garcia said the eighth floor of Tower D of the Waterfront Complex also sustained structural damage. He said Udecott crews will be touring facilities built by Udecott - the Education Tower on St Vincent Street and others - from this morning to assess the damage.
The 22nd floor of the Waterfront Complex’s Tower D felt the impact so much that files were reported to be strewn around offices. Heavy damage to parts of One Woodbrook place was also reported on social media.
Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte, who toured several areas last night, said his ministry at One Alexandra Street sustained minor damage.
“The earthquake, however, impacted power generation at some facilities resulting in electricity outages in the east from Trincity, west from Westmoorings, Maraval, Moka and other places. Teams went out immediately and were expected to get electricity back on. They’ll continue going out (this morning) to inspect damage,” Le Hunte said.
“TTEC and WASA have contingency plans for events like this, but after what was one of the worst - if not the worst - earthquake in intensity and length of duration, we’ll see what needs to be upgraded.”
Works Minister Rohan Sinanan said up to last night there had been no reports of roads, bridges or overpasses damaged.
Teams from the ministry will be out this morning to inspect all such infrastructure in an emergency plan. Another batch of teams will be inspecting all Government buildings. Sinanan said people who suspect their building has been damaged can contact the ministry to have an inspection done.
“I was at an office which I exited when the earthquake occurred. What struck me was that it was long as well as strong,” Sinanan said of yesterday’s incident.
Health Minister Terrence meanwhile said he’d been on a walkabout in Curepe when the ‘quake hit. He said all health facilities were intact and the ministry’s Disaster Preparedness plan was in force.
“We did walk-throughs at the major facilities in Port-of-Spain, San Fernando, Mt Hope and Sangre Grande and it seems there’s no major disruption in electricity. However, we’re asking patients to use health facilities for only absolute emergencies and depending on how things work, we may cancel elective surgeries between today (Tuesday) and Thursday to cater to any possible surge in demand for medical attention.”
New Police Commissioner Gary Griffith and National Security’s Young also co-ordinated emergency responses from the National Operations Centre.
Griffith activated plans for police patrols to operate throughout the country to assist citizens in need or who were injured. He also issued advisories for citizens to call 999 in the event they required assistance.
Shock, panic, fear islandwide
In various parts of downtown PoS, pieces of concrete and structures could be seen on some streets after falling to the earthquake’s strength.
The Guardian Media building, a historic part of St Vincent Street, also suffered some damage in places externally. Attorneys in chambers nearby were seen surveying their office buildings and security guards in several locations were seen outside of their premises just after the earthquake.
For those who were still making their way home through PoS after 5.30 pm, the only conversations were about the earthquake. One woman walking with her colleague said she had seen the ground “breaking up” as they moved. Other homebound folk hustled to get home, faces grim.
Public Administration Minister Marlene McDonald said she’d been near Morvant when it hit.
“I just saw cars rocking and didn’t understand what was happening,” she said.
“I’ve learned there’s some damage at the ministry, which is a multi-storey building - tiles have fallen et cetera - this will be assessed (today).”
Tabaquite MP Suruj Rambachan said he was in Avocat at the time but hadn’t seen any damage there.
“However, in all my 70 years I’ve never experienced anything like that - it was terrible, the biggest earthquake,” he said.
Chaguanas Mayor Gopaul Boodan said corporation teams will be out today checking for damage - particularly in the area of the highway overpass which had been damaged by an earthquake several years ago.
UNC MP Ganga Singh expressed concern of the danger of a tsunami after the earthquake but Seismic Research Centre officials said while there was an initial tsunami alert from the Pacific Tsunami Centre, it was later assessed there was no surge danger.
The USGS’ earthquake site noted while there have been 17 previous earthquakes of six-plus magnitude in this region, large earthquakes are rare and yesterday’s was “the largest historic event within 250 km of this location in the 20th and 21st centuries”.
In January, T&T was rocked by five earthquakes in one day. The Seismic Research Centre warned then T&T was at risk for a severe event