Earthquake measured 5.0

THE earthquake which was felt islandwide this morning at 10:07 measured 5.0 on the Richter Scale, reports the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Earthquake Unit.
The unit reported that the epicentre was 20 kilometres offshore south of Black River in St Elizabeth.

With a focal depth of 21 km, the unit said that it had intensity reports from Negril, Montego Bay, Mandeville, Santa Cruz, Spanish Town and Kingston.

May 21 is Judgment Day: Christian group

 If the signs are to be believed, the end of the world as we know it starts on May 21, 2011.

 A banner displayed at the Eaton Centre in Toronto predicts that Judgment Day will occur on May 21, 2011. 

 By: Janet Davison, CBC News

     Billboards are popping up around the globe, including in major Canadian cities, proclaiming May 21 as Judgment Day. "Cry mightily unto GOD for HIS mercy," says one of the mounted signs from Family Radio, a California-based sectarian Christian group that is sending one of its four travelling caravans of believers into Vancouver and Calgary within the next 10 days.

Family Radio's website is blunt in its prediction of Judgment Day and the rolling earthquake that will mark the beginning of the end. "The Bible guarantees it!" the site proclaims, under a passage from the book of Ezekiel, which says "blow the trumpet … warn the people."

Richard Ascough, a professor in the School of Religion at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., has been watching Family Radio's campaign, and fully expects life as we know it to continue on May 22.

He has seen other apocalyptic predictions come and go, but Family Radio's differs in a notable way: it isn't accompanied by a bold, up-front request for money. And that's worrisome, in his mind.

"I think they really believe it's going to happen," Ascough said in an interview Tuesday.

What if Judgment Day doesn't come?

Haitian buildings to be reinforced against quakes

Haitian schools, hospitals and other buildings are to be strengthened under a United Nations-backed plan to reduce vulnerability to seismic threats.

NEW YORK, United States, Wednesday March 30, 2011 – Haitian schools, hospitals and other buildings are to be strengthened under a United Nations-backed plan to reduce vulnerability to seismic threats in a country that was devastated 14 months ago by a massive earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people and made 1.3 million homeless.

Jamaica still not earthquake ready

ALL eyes have been on Haiti this week, as the world remembers the horror of the Haitian capital being reduced to rubble in a matter of minutes by a massive earthquake one year ago.

Coincidentally, this week is also being observed as National Earthquake Awareness week in Jamaica, but one local disaster management official says a limited budget has constrained the states' efforts to prepare for a major seismic event.

The unease which followed the shock that reverberated — literally and figuratively — from Haiti that fateful January evening, dampened somewhat over the course of 2010.

TCI criticized for treatment of Haitians

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) pointed out that a team had visited the Turks and Caicos Islands just a few months ago – in August of 2010 – and impressed on government authorities the need to screen all new arrivals for protection needs.

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos – The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has expressed concern about the deportation of more than 120 Haitians from the Turks and Caicos Islands without any consideration being given to whether they were in need of international protection.

The complaint and subsequent plea for countries not treat Haitians so harshly came just over a week after a boat carrying an estimated 116 Haitians ran aground on January 3 off West Caicos Island, followed a day later by a second vessel carrying six Haitians.

The passengers of both boats were apprehended by police and immigration officials, screened and cleared for cholera infection, while some were treated for minor injuries sustained during their voyage before the entire group of 122 was sent home by plane.

“The UN Refugee Agency, together with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has urged countries to refrain from forcibly repatriating Haitians as long as the crisis caused by last year’s earthquake persists. Reports on these incidents raise questions as to whether the group was interviewed to identify potential protection needs arising from particular vulnerabilities or risks upon return,” the agency said in a statement.

“Within the current context in Haiti, these could include serious risks to unaccompanied or separated children, pregnant or otherwise vulnerable women or victims of violence or persecution. UNHCR fully acknowledges the right of countries to determine who enters their territories, but calls for migration control measures to be balanced with adequate protection safeguards.”

Leaked report: Government candidate should be out of run-off

The OAS mission which was put together after the preliminary results prompted allegations of fraud and corruption and sparked riots across the country, ruled out a new election or recounting of votes.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti,  – A leaked report on Haiti’s disputed presidential elections contains a recommendation that the candidate of the ruling party be eliminated from a run-off vote, paving the way for popular musician Michel ‘Sweet’ Martelly to get another shot at becoming Haiti’s next President.

Martelly had been eliminated when preliminary results released early last month by Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) put Mirlande Manigat in the lead, followed by President René Préval ‘s handpicked candidate Jude Celestin. But the report of an expert mission from the Organization of American States (OAS) challenged those reports, indicating that while Manigat had 31.6 percent of the vote, Martelly actually had 22.2 percent and Celestin trailed with 21.9 percent.

The report has not yet been submitted to the Haitian authorities. In fact, the OAS released a statement yesterday indicating that it would hand over the document in another few days, to comply with President Préval’s wish not to discuss it in the midst of commemorations of the first year of the devastating earthquake that affected the country on January 12, 2010. 

Earthquake shakes Trinidad

The 5.1 earthquake occurred about 15 miles northwest of Port of Spain and was felt throughout the island.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, – A Boxing Day earthquake shook parts of Trinidad late last night, but no damage or injuries have been reported.

The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, based in Trinidad, gave the preliminary magnitude as 4.5, but the National Earthquake Information Centre at the United States Geological Survey later indicated that the quake had a magnitude of 5.1.

The earthquake, which occurred around 9:01 pm, was felt from Carenage in the northwest, to Moruga on the central south coast, to Matura on the northeast coast.

The quake occurred about 15 miles northwest of Port of Spain; 70 miles west southwest of Scarborough, Tobago; and 90 miles south of St George’s Grenada, at a depth of about 36.9 miles.

Did you experience the earthquake? Share your story on our Facebook page.

Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360

UNICEF concerned about young cholera victims

The United Nations Children's Fund warned yesterday that with 50 per cent of the population under 18 years, large numbers of children are affected. (UNICEF) (UN Photo - Sophia Paris)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Wednesday November 17, 2010 – The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is mobilizing all its staff and resources in an effort to stem the spread of cholera in Haiti, as it warned yesterday that with 50 per cent of the population under 18 years, large numbers of children are affected.

"We are working closely with communities and our partners to contain the latest outbreaks of cholera. Our biggest fear is that it will spread through the rural and remote areas, Port au Prince slums and camps, as well as schools and residential care centers across the country where it will be difficult to fight the disease," said Francoise Gruloos-Ackermans, UNICEF Representative in Haiti.

UNICEF’s concern is to reach children living in remote areas and in the overpopulated slums of Port au Prince.

"We are reinforcing our operation with staff and resources, mobilizing our partners and readjusting our pre-positioning stocks to scale with the emergency and make sure we cover as much of the country as possible,” said Gruloos-Ackermans.

To date, more than 1,000 deaths have been reported and seven out of Haiti's ten departments have now been affected.

Since the beginning of the cholera outbreak, UNICEF has been distributing millions of aquatabs for water purification, thousands of bars of soap, and tons of chlorine for the cleaning of water systems in the capital and elsewhere.

Hospitals and health centres in Port au Prince have received water and sanitation and health packages including chlorine and portable latrines.

UNICEF has assisted the World Health Organisation and NGOs in setting up Cholera Treatment Centers in the capital and rural areas. Thousands of children and parents are being reached with hygiene promotion messages including radio awareness campaigns and posters.