It’s mid-September in the Eastern Caribbean — the time of year when all eyes turn toward the Central Atlantic to see what kind of tropical storms will pass this way. But on Friday, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency staged a drill on St. John to remind everyone there are other forces in nature that can overwhelm the population sometimes with little warning.
Friday saw the first of three tsunami walks sponsored by VITEMA for St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix. About 10 people gathered near the bandstand at Franklin Powell Sr. Park in Cruz Bay to see how quickly they could get out of the way of a powerful tsunami.
The deadly force of a tsunami — or tidal wave — was seen worldwide on Dec. 26, 2004, when a 9.1 magnitude undersea earthquake sent a wall of ocean water across the Indian Ocean, killing 220,000 people. The Virgin Islands experienced its own tsunami disaster on Nov. 18, 1867, when a wave overtook Charlotte Amalie, claiming an estimated 50 lives.
“… the waves were over 25 feet. So we just want you to know it’s not if it’s gonna happen, it’s when it’s gonna happen,” said Deputy Director of Planning and Preparedness Regina Browne as she addressed the gathering after a brisk walk from the bandstand to a few feet past Veteran’s Circle.
The goal of the tsunami walk was to reach a spot 82 feet above sea level, considered a place of safety. Among those in the group were members of Love City Strong, a nonprofit formed to help the community recover from the 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
One team member, Kenisha Small, said she had been leading community members through earthquake and tsunami preparedness drills for about five years. “This year, I’m going to be at Gifft Hill School participating with them during their Career Day,” Small said.
The one thing Small said those exercises taught her is how vulnerable people living with disabilities can be. “I would say the thing that I learned the most was how the vulnerable population — anyone who is … disabled in a wheelchair using any medical equipment should respond during an earthquake,” she said.
Scientists studying these phenomena say earthquakes can trigger tsunamis, as was the case in Sumatra, Indonesia, in 2004.
During her brief address, Browne explained the difference between rapidly occurring and long-distance tsunamis; how much warning time affected populations might receive, and the different kinds of alerts and warnings they can expect to hear if a tsunami occurs.
St. Thomas residents are invited to take part in a scheduled Tsunami Walk on Saturday morning. People on St. Croix can experience the walk on Oct. 4.