Potential Kick ’em Jenny Activity (Orange Alert) and the Associated Tsunami Threat
Statement from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and US National Tsunami Warning Center
Kick 'em Jenny is an active submarine volcano or seamount on the Caribbean Sea floor,
located 8 km (5 mi) north of the island of Grenada and about 8 km (5 mi) west of Ronde
Island in the Grenadines at roughly 12.30° N, 61.64° W. Its summit is approximately
200 m (600 ft) below the surface of the ocean.
What?
The Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the University of the West Indies has issued an
Orange Alert for the underwater volcano Kick ’em Jenny1. An Orange Alert means
“Highly elevated level of seismic and/or fumarolic activity or other unusual activity.
Eruption may begin with less than twenty-four hours notice.”
Why?
Instruments monitored by SRC recorded strong, continuous seismic activity from the
volcano between 1:25 am and 3:00 am, local time, July 23, 2015 suggesting than an eruption
could occur with less than 24-hours notice.
Signs of elevated seismicity (earthquakes) began on July 11th and continue to the present.
What is the tsunami threat?
An undersea volcanic eruption can displace the overlying seawater, generating tsunami
waves.
The amplitude of the waves and area threatened depends upon many factors including the
size, depth, and nature of the eruption.
Should a tsunami occur, waves would reach Grenada within just a few minutes. If the
tsunami were large enough to expand further, it would reach St. Vincent within 10 minutes,
Martinique and Tobago within about 30 minutes, and Barbados within about 40 minutes. A
very large tsunami could reach the northern coast of Venezuela to the south and the
Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico within an hour and a half.
Any tsunami hazard would be confined to the Caribbean region.
What is being done?
Kick 'em Jenny activity is being closely monitored by the SRC and further updates will
be issued by SRC as more information becomes available.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and US National Tsunami Warning Center are also following
the situation closely and will be monitoring seismic and sea level data from the nearest
seismic and coastal sea level gauges. Should an eruption be confirmed and/or tsunami be
detected they will issue appropriate messages to their respective areas of responsibility
in the Caribbean region.
Citizens are reminded to follow all instructions from their local emergency management.
Some rules for tsunami safety and response can be found at:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/Tsunami/SRC recommends that vulnerable communities be advised of evacuation routes and transport
be put on standby.
SRC indicates that local radio stations in Grenada, St. Vincent, Barbados and Trinidad have
been placed on alert.
SRC recommends that the public listen to their local radio continuously for updates and visits
the Seismic Research Center website if possible..
SRC instructs that shipping vessels should stay outside of the first exclusion zone - 1.5 km
from the summit of Kick ’em Jenny and that non-essential shipping, such as pleasure craft,
should stay outside of the secondary exclusion zone – 5 km clear of the summit.
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