A shalÂlow magÂniÂtude 4.8 earthÂquake struck 113 kiloÂmeÂtres west of Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and ToÂbaÂgo at a depth of 10 kiloÂmeÂtres at 10.25 pm FriÂday.
The earthÂquake was wideÂly reÂportÂed across parts of northÂwestÂern Trinidad, with a few reÂports across CenÂtral Trinidad.
This is the secÂond felt quake to rock the isÂland withÂin the past 24 hours, folÂlowÂing a magÂniÂtude 4.2 earthÂquake at 12:55 pm FriÂday. The first quake ocÂcurred 104 kiloÂmeÂtres west of Port-of- Spain at a depth of 10 kiloÂmeÂtres.
EarthÂquakes in this reÂgion are comÂmon. GenÂerÂalÂly, across the EastÂern Caribbean, a seisÂmiÂcalÂly acÂtive area, earthÂquakes of this magÂniÂtude, up to M8.0 and greater, acÂcordÂing to seisÂmolÂoÂgists at the UWI SeisÂmic ReÂsearch CenÂtre.
Each year, over 2,200 seisÂmic events are recordÂed in the EastÂern Caribbean. On avÂerÂage, the EastÂern Caribbean has seen a patÂtern of maÂjor (M7.0-M7.9) quakes every 20 to 30 years. That patÂtern has stayed true. The last maÂjor (M7.0-7.9) quake ocÂcurred north of MarÂtinique in 2007.
(Trinidad Guardian)