It is a sobering thought that if we were struck with a Tsunami the majority of us would not have known about it. This is especially true if the event happened after 10PM.

Last night at 10:46PM we received an Information Statement from Cayman Islands Hazard Management issued “regarding a possible tsunami threat for the Cayman Islands, following an EATHERQUAKE OF MAGNITUDE 7.6, 30 miles off the north coast of Honduras.”

At 12:01 am this morning we received “The All Clear”.

Sending it to the local media is not the quickest, nor the most effective way, of communicating to the three Islands of an imminent Tsunami.

The quickest way, surely, is through the text messaging services provided by FLOW and DIGICEL. If a special warning ping was also used it would awake the majority of us there was a likelihood of a natural disaster about to happen.

Luckily, the threat did not realise into an actual. If it had, the effect could have been catastrophic. We would have been mostly unprepared.

If you believe earthquakes are far from happening frequently in our area then think again. We have had 67 earthquakes over the last 17 years!

Please see the attached chart courtesy of Peter Polack.

Are you now quaking in your boots?

PS: Since writing this Editorial HMCI have issued a Press Release – please see iNews Cayman story today “Cayman Islands: HMCI Statement on Tsunami Response”