A recent article by France-Antilles announced that 115 earthquakes recorded under Martinique’s Mont Pelée between June 14 and 19, bringing the number to a total of 412 seismic movements in the last four weeks. Nevertheless, the situation is considered stable and none of the inhabitants felt any of the quakes. Here are translated excerpts from France-Antilles.
Seismic activity remains stable beneath Mount Pelée, with 115 earthquakes observed during the past week. In the previous week 108 earthquakes were recorded.
Between June 12 and June 19, the Martinique Volcanological and Seismological Observatory [Observatoire Volcanologique et Sismologique de la Martinique, or OVSM] recorded 115 earthquakes of volcanic origin. These include:
1) 114 volcano-tectonic earthquakes. Among them, 24 had a magnitude greater than 0.5 and 8 had a magnitude greater than 1. The largest had a magnitude of 1.37. [. . .] The vast majority of these earthquakes were located at depths between 0.8 and 1.4 km below the summit of the volcano. However, one earthquake had been preliminarily located at a depth of approximately 4.5 km below sea level, directly beneath Mont Pelée.
“Volcano-tectonic seismicity is associated with micro fracturing in the volcanic edifice linked to the overall reactivation of the volcano observed since 2019,” explained the OVSM.
2) One deep, long-period earthquake located at a depth of 21 km south of Mont Pelée, with a magnitude of 0.8. Deep, long-period earthquakes are characterized by signals containing only low frequencies and are associated with the circulation of magmatic fluids deep within the Mont Pelée volcanic system. [. . .]
An average of 103 earthquakes per week
The previous week, the OVSM recorded 108 earthquakes of volcanic origin. As of June 19, and over the past four weeks, a total of 412 volcanic earthquakes have been recorded, representing an average of 103 earthquakes per week.
“During phases of volcanic reactivation of volcanoes similar to Mont Pelée, it is common to observe seismic activity that varies in intensity and frequency,” the OVSM points out. The probability of eruptive activity in the short term remains low. [. . .]
Excerpts translated by Ivette Romero. For full article, in French, see https://www.martinique.franceantilles.fr/actualite/environnement/risques-naturels/115-seismes-enregistres-sous-la-montagne-pelee-1083229.php
[Photo of Mt Pelée by JEAN-MARC ETIFIER.]
A recent article by France-Antilles announced that 115 earthquakes recorded under Martinique’s Mont Pelée between June 14 and 19, bringing the number to a total of 412 seismic movements in the last four weeks. Nevertheless, the situation is considered stable and none of the inhabitants felt any of the quakes. Here are translated excerpts from France-Antilles.
