On July 16, 2024 at 5:46pm (EST), a magnitude 3.7 earthquake with an epicenter located approximately 10km south of Hope Bay, Portland, occurred in Jamaica. (Earthquake Unit of Jamaica).
This earthquake occurred 17+ hours after the reported volcanic earthquakes of Dominica.
“According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center (UWI SRC), on Tuesday, July 16th, 2024, at 12:45 AM, a burst of volcanic earthquakes was recorded beneath northern Dominica…while some of the 345 recorded earthquakes were sufficiently large to be felt, they were smaller than magnitude 3.5.” Trinidad & Tobago Weather Center.
Could there be a connection in the timing/ occurrence of recorded earthquake(s) in magnitude, for Jamaica- located approximately at the North Western boundary of the Caribbean Plate, and Dominica- located approximately at the South East boundary of the Caribbean Plate?
Or is this merely coincidence?
Caribbean Plate Movement
With the Caribbean Plate being said by Caribbean Geology researchers, to be predominantly Eastward in movement, it does make a good argument, that earthquake occurrence along the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Plate (Lesser Antilles), is a trigger for earthquakes to occur along other boundaries of the Caribbean Plate- such as the North- Western boundary, which is where Jamaica is situated. As the Caribbean Plate moves Eastward, it makes contact with the Atlantic Plate (predominantly). This contact- depending on the angle- results in Subduction & Volcanism (which can be seen as the volcanoes of the Lesser Antilles); and/or earthquake occurrence.
About The Author
Oshane Bryant: BSc Geology, Geography Minor; ACE CPT since 2012; Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) Accelerator Graduate-2018 cohort; Licensed KUKIBO Martial Arts & Self Defense, Senior Instructor; OB Fitness Founder & Managing Director.
