The Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency is inviting residents across the USVI to join millions worldwide in practicing earthquake safety during the Great ShakeOut drill on Thursday at 10:16 a.m. AST.

What is the Great ShakeOut?

The Great ShakeOut is the world’s largest earthquake drill, with numerous countries and territories participating to raise awareness about what to do in the event of a quake.

“The Great ShakeOut earthquake drills are based on scenario earthquakes that could affect the area if they were to actually take place,” according to information from the United States Geographical Survey. “Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills are an annual opportunity for people in homes, schools, and organizations to practice what to do during earthquakes and to improve preparedness. These events are made possible through a collaboration among several agencies including the USGS.”

VITEMA Urges Partaking in Drill

Though hurricanes often dominate preparedness conversations, earthquakes remain a quieter but persistent risk in the territory’s active seismic zone. That’s why VITEMA is emphasizing participation not only in the drill itself but also in wider earthquake preparedness efforts.

“The Great ShakeOut is an annual opportunity for individuals and communities to practice the critical safety steps that can protect lives during an earthquake: Drop, Cover, and Hold On,” according to a press release from VITEMA. “The U.S. Virgin Islands sits in an active seismic zone, making earthquake preparedness essential for every resident and visitor,” VITEMA said.

“Earthquakes can occur without warning, and being prepared can mean the difference between life and death,” said VITEMA Director Daryl Jaschen. “The Great ShakeOut gives us all an opportunity to practice our emergency response, and ensure our families, workplaces, and communities are ready when disaster strikes.”

“VITEMA encourages all territory residents to use this opportunity to create or update family emergency plans, assemble or refresh emergency supply kits with water, food, medications, and essential supplies, secure heavy furniture and objects that could fall during shaking, learn how to shut off utilities if needed, and identify safe spots in your home, workplace, and school,” VITEMA explained.

The exercise also includes a systemwide test of the Emergency Alert System, with messages sent automatically to mobile phones.

“As part of the exercise, VITEMA will be conducting a test of the Emergency Alert System through the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System. Residents should expect a test message to be delivered to their mobile phones on Oct. 16,” VITEMA stated.

A territory-wide test of the tsunami warning siren system will also take place on Thursday, as part of its regularly scheduled checks on the third Thursday of each month. The sirens will sound at 11 a.m. in the St. Croix district, followed by the St. Thomas/St. John district at 11:15 a.m.

Seismic Activity Across the Caribbean

As was previously reported by the Source, the USVI and Puerto Rico sit in an active seismic area, and temblors — which could also generate tsunami waves — can occur at any time.

Islands in the northeast Caribbean are situated where temblors frequently strike due to their location among tectonic plates and fault systems.

“The tectonic plates divide the Earth’s crust into distinct ‘plates’ that are always slowly moving. Earthquakes are concentrated along these plate boundaries,” according to the USGS.

“The seismicity of this region of the Caribbean is dominated by the oblique subduction of the North American Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate,” said Elizabeth Vanacore, Ph.D., a seismologist and a researcher at the Puerto Rico Seismic Network. The PRSN, also known by its Spanish name, Red Sísmica de Puerto Rico, is part of the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Department of Geology.

“The term oblique subduction indicates that the collision between the North American tectonic plate and the Caribbean tectonic plate is not occurring in a direct head-on manner, but instead, at an angle,” according to Vanacore.

“This plate collision is the force that has created the Puerto Rico Trench, as well as the faults to the west of Puerto Rico in the Mona Passage. The collision of the plates has also created faults in the Anegada Passage and the Muertos Trough,” Vanacore explained.

The result of the tectonic plates colliding means that the USVI and Puerto Rico are in an area surrounded by faults, and earthquakes occur in this region on a daily basis.

“This plate collision leads to the very complicated faults systems and interactions with our region,” Vanacore said. “Given this environment, Puerto Rico and the USVI are in a seismically active region where earthquakes are recorded and reported by the PRSN on a daily basis. The PRSN records a few thousand earthquakes a year in our forecast area of responsibility,” she continued.

Participate in USVI Great ShakeOut

To take part in this year’s Great ShakeOut, residents are encouraged to register at the official ShakeOut USVI website. At 10:16 a.m. on Thursday, participants will pause wherever they are to Drop, Cover, and Hold On for about one minute.

As of 4:05 a.m. Wednesday, a total of 15,674 participants in the U.S. Virgin Islands are registered to take part in the Great ShakeOut, reflecting individual households, schools, businesses, and organizations across the territory.

For free drill materials and preparedness resources — or to add your household, school, or workplace to this year’s participant count – visit the Great ShakeOut U.S. Virgin Islands webpage.

Finally, USVI residents and visitors can also sign up for emergency alerts online, including earthquake notifications, directly from VITEMA.