Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Earthquake hits French-Guiana, Suriname

Friday, June 9, 2006

by: Ivan Cairo
Caribbean Net News Suriname Correspondent
Email: ivan@caribbeannetnews.com

PARAMARIBO, Suriname: An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale rocked French-Guiana at 1.30 pm local time Thursday, sending thousands fleeing from buildings.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) the epicenter of the quake was 30 miles south-east of the capital Cayenne in the coastal area. There were no immediate reports of victims or major damage. According to officials from the USGS it is not likely that the quake would cause major damage, since the epicenter was off the coast of the country. The Fire Department received about 300 calls for help.

The shock was also felt in several parts of neighbouring Suriname about 385 kilometers (240 miles) southeast of where the quake hit. Also in the Brazilian states Amapa and Para slight tremors were felt. To date this is the first time an earthquake was felt in Suriname. Currently the National Weather Service is gathering information from several sources about the tremor.

Speaking to journalists from his office in Cayenne, Suriname’s consul-general Richenne Libretto, said, “There were a couple of scary seconds when the building started to shake”.

“I heard a drone and the whole building started to shake, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and feeling at that moment,” added the diplomat. He further noted that is was “a considerable shock”. The tremor was more severe in the coastal areas, while there were lighter shocks felt in the southern parts of the country.

In Suriname there were numerous accounts of people who had experienced the trembling. Several hundreds workers in the capital evacuated their offices in fear that the buildings might collapse. At the headquarters of the telephone company Telesur in the capital employees took precautions and evacuated the building shortly after the shock.

“I was at home when all of a sudden my desk started to move and the house began to shake.” a man living 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Paramaribo recalls.

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