Earthquake Awareness Week to be observed Jan 13-19

From: Subject: Earthquake Awareness Week to be observed Jan 13-19 - JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 06:56:21 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C854E8.3D1C7480" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C854E8.3D1C7480 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20080111T200000-0500_131302_OBS_EARTHQUAKE_AWARENESS_WEEK_TO_BE_OBSERVED_JAN______.asp Earthquake Awareness Week to be observed Jan 13-19 - = JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM THE Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency = Management (ODPEM) will again focus the nation's attention on preparing = for an earthquake during Earthquake Awareness Week, to be observed from = January 13 to 19."=20 name=3Dabstract>

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Earthquake Awareness Week to = be=20 observed Jan 13-19

JIS
Saturday, January 12,=20 2008

THE Office of = Disaster=20 Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) will again = focus the=20 nation's attention on preparing for an earthquake during = Earthquake=20 Awareness Week, to be observed from January 13 to = 19.

The agency's director = general,=20 Ronald Jackson, said that, "it is the earthquake phenomenon, = with=20 its attendant sub-hazards that pose the greatest risk."

"It registers the = greatest single=20 natural hazard event in terms of losses to life, property = and the=20 economy in general," he added.

This year's theme is: = 'For safety's=20 sake, be ready for the next earthquake', as ODPEM stresses = the=20 importance of putting in place a disaster and risk reduction = plan=20 looking at preparedness and safety procedures before the = event=20 happens.

Jackson pointed out = that=20 earthquakes have been a significant hazard throughout the = historical=20 development of many countries in the Caribbean, and in = recent years=20 there has been a marked increase in seismic activity = regionally and=20 globally.

Citing Jamaica's high = earthquake=20 risk profile, the director general said that on February 4, = 2007,=20 "the country experienced a tremor recorded here by our = seismograph=20 at 5.4 in magnitude, resulting from an event which occurred = 75 miles=20 north, north west of Montego Bay with an actual magnitude of = 6.1."

"Interestingly, it was = said that=20 scientists held dialogue around the possibility of an event=20 measuring 6.5 in magnitude just offshore the south coast of = Cuba=20 generating a tsunami," he added.

Recalling the earth = tremor Jamaica=20 experienced in 1993, Jackson pointed out that, "as we seek = to begin=20 the observance of Earthquake Awareness Week on January 13, = we will=20 be doing so on the anniversary of the 1993 event, which = displaced=20 518 families and generated $152 million in insurance=20 claims."Activities for Earthquake Awareness Week 2008 = include=20 earthquake drills and presentations as well as expositions = in=20 communities islandwide. The activities are to be conducted = in=20 conjunction with the Parish Councils, the Ministry of = Education and=20 the Jamaica Library Service, as well as businesses, civic = and=20 community-based organistions.

The Week will commence = with a=20 Church Service at the St Andrew Parish Church, which was = chosen to=20 highlight the fact that it has existed since 1655 and has = therefore=20 survived numerous major national catastrophic earthquakes = and other=20 events.

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