St. Mary Launches Earthquake Awareness Month

Earthquake Awareness Month activities for St. Mary were officially launched at a function held at the St. Mary Parish Library in Port Maria on Wednesday (Jan. 7).
The event, staged by the St. Mary Parish Council, was attended by a number of persons representing government and non-government organizations in the parish, and featured cultural presentations by students of Oracabessa, Islington, and Port Maria Primary, and Highgate Primary and Junior High School, among others. Scientific Officer at the Earthquake Unit at the University of the West Indies, Karlene Black, in a power point presentation, explained how earthquakes occur and how persons can mitigate their effects on their lives and property.
Disaster Coordinator for St. Mary, Yolande Williams, expressed the hope that those who attended the launch, will share the knowledge gained with community members, to increase their awareness of earthquakes, and better enable them to take the necessary actions to mitigate the effects.
Earthquake Awareness Month activities in St. Mary will be held throughout the month of January, and will include educational talks and drills in schools, hazard hunts and inspections of business places in the major townships in the parish.