Disaster co-ordinator: TT overdue for major eathquake

He reported that the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Global Assessment Report for 2015 “still has Trinidad and Tobago in a 99 percentile for being overdue for a 250th earthquake event”.

“We must understand there will come a time when God will not be a Trini and we may be under the rubble and have to survive,” he said.

He was speaking yesterday at the launch of the Flood Early Warning System (FEWS) and Mobile App and the Diego Martin North East Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Graduation held at the Royal Palm Suite Hotel, Maraval.

He noted that the threat of disasters like earthquakes made CERT “so very important” and by having more persons, families and members of the business community trained they are building capacity.

“Those who are trained can respond in a timely manner,” he said.

The graduands yesterday included persons from the St Michael’s Home for Boys and The St James Police Youth Club.

Diego Martin Regional Corporation (DMRC) Darryl Smith in his address asked for a moment of silence for the hundreds who died in the Nepal earthquake. He noted that he felt a small earthquake yesterday morning and over the past few weeks this country has had earthquakes: a 5.4 magnitude quake hit on April 15 and 4.6 quake four days later.

Smith said there has been a lot of seismic activity and we may have to deal with a major earthquake.