The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Unit of the University of the West Indies (UWI) has reported a series of earthquakes close to Grenada which it believes could be associated with the volcano. It said the alert status for Kick ’em Jenny has increased to orange, meaning a highly elevated level of seismic and/or volcanic activity or other unusual behaviour. This status also means that an eruption may begin with less than 24 hours notice.

Reports said that seismic monitors had been observing unusual patterns in the last four days. At one point on Tuesday, the monitoring stations recorded more than one tremor a minute. The Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) understands that the largest occurred on Tuesday and measured 2.7.

Deputy chairman of Grenada’s National Emergency Advisory Council, Argar Alexander, told CMC yesterday there was no need for panic and Grenadians should only listen to information from reliable sources.

“It has been brought to our attention by the Seismic Unit of the University of the West Indies that there is an increase in the activity level of the Kick ’em Jenny volcano on the northwest coast of Grenada,” Alexander said.

He said while this was not a cause for panic, persons who live in low-lying areas, especially the coastal areas, should closely monitor the situation in the event that there was a tidal wave or flooding. Kick ’em Jenny is located nine kilometres to the north of Grenada. There has been increased activity in the vicinity of the volcano for the past five days.

The Seismic Unit said in a report on its Internet website that Kick ’em Jenny was neither visible nor audible until it was in full eruption “so that one of the most useful volcanic monitoring techniques – site inspection – is not possible”.

The National Emergency Advisory Council met in an emergency session Tuesday and embarked on a public awareness campaign. (CMC)