Major quake rocks

Panic reigned throughout Trinidad and Tobago yesterday as an afternoon quake rocked the island knocking out mobile lines and causing immediate evacuations at several businesses and Government buildings. According to the Seismic Research Unit, the quake of magnitude 5.4 and 30 km in depth, occurred at 3.16 pm yesterday.  It was reportedly felt in most areas of South, Central, East and West Trinidad as well as in a few areas in Tobago including Scarborough and Crown Point.

The strongest quake to affect TT was recorded in 1997. It measured 5.6 on the Richter scale and caused widespread damage to several Government buildings and homes in Tobago. However, after yesterday’s quake, emergency services received no reports of injuries to persons or damages to properties, although it was close in magnitude to the one which occurred in 1997. Thousands of persons, though, were unable to get through to loved ones as the GSM network was immediately knocked out by the tremors. It was restored about one hour later.