NO ACTIVITY has been recorded at the Kick’em Jenny submarine volcano since Saturday and as a result the alert level has been lowered, the Seismic Research Centre (SRC) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) said yesterday.
On Thursday a “strong continuous signal” was observed on instruments monitoring the Kick’em Jenny underwater volcano located eight kilometres north of Grenada.
As a result the UWI-SRC heightened the alert level to Orange- the second highest alert level, prior to an eruption.
Because the underwater volcano’s activity levels have “reduced significantly” over the past 48 hours however he alert level has now been reduced.
“The Seismic Research Centre (SRC), University of the West Indies has reported that the activity levels at the Kick-‘em-Jenny under water Volcano has reduced significantly during the last 48 hours.
“Since 6 p.m., on Saturday July 25th, no activity was recorded,” the UWI-SRC’s website stated yesterday.
The UWI-SRC said a “fly over” of the underwater volcano was conducted on Saturday.
“On Saturday, July 25th at around 5:50 p.m., a team including a Volcanologist from the SRC, Grenada’s Acting National Disaster Coordinator, and a camera person, participated in a fly over of the Kick-‘em-Jenny area by helicopter.
“The volcanologist, Dr. Frederic Dondin, who has conducted extensive research on Kick-‘em-Jenny, concluded, after his observations, that there was absolutely nothing unusual in the area,” the SRC stated.
As a result the alert levels were lowered,” the UWI-SRC stated.
“Based on the above findings, and given the fact that the activity levels at Kick-‘em- Jenny has diminished, the Government of Grenada, based on the advice of the SRC has lowered the alert level to Yellow with immediate effect.
“The YELLOW alert level means that vessels should observe a 1.5 km exclusion zone. However, as a precautionary measure, the marine community is advised to continue observing the 5 km exclusion zone,” the UWI-SRC stated.
The UWI-SRC had heightened the alert level on Thursday.
“On Thursday, July 23rd from 1:25am to 3:00am local time, a strong continuous signal was observed on instruments monitoring the Kick ‘em Jenny submarine volcano. Signs of elevated seismicity (earthquakes) began on 11th July and continue to present.
“For the period since the 11th July a total of more than 200 micro and small earthquakes, of varying magnitudes, have been recorded, with the largest, prior to the strong signal, less than magnitude 3.0.
“There have also been observations from divers of degassing occurring off the west coast of Grenada in the Moliniere Sculpture Park area,” the SRC stated.
The UWI-SRC is said to be closely monitoring the situation.