Quake leaves cracks in walls, floors at Waterford Infant School
Published:Wednesday | November 1, 2023 | 12:10 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
Monday’s 5.6-magnitude earthquake rattled the serene halls of Waterford Infant School in Portmore, St Catherine, leaving a lasting impact on the school’s infrastructure.
The quake, which took everyone by surprise, caused structural damage to several classrooms, raising concerns about the safety of the students and staff.
With 185 students and all 12 teachers, six caregivers and some HEART interns present at the school during the earthquake, acting Principal Montique Raymond shared her experience of the event.
“I was doing my rounds, collecting lunch data, when I felt the first impact. When the second shock and violent shaking followed, we realised it was an earthquake,” she said.
According to her, the school immediately followed earthquake drill protocols that they have practised, gathering students and evacuating to the designated assembly area.
Despite mixed reactions among the students, including some tears and laughter, the teachers remained composed and ensured the safety of the young students aged three to five years old, Raymond noted.
The event was so profound that even the school cook, who was preparing lunch at the time, was severely traumatised and required medical attention.
Structural damage to the school included cracks in walls, floors, and a critical crack in one of the columns supporting the roof over the corridor. Disturbingly, the school’s earthquake early- warning system had been nonfunctional for an extended period, with estimated repair costs reaching a million dollars in some cases, Raymond revealed.
Waterford Councillor Fenley Douglas commended the school’s effective earthquake drill, despite the absence of an early-warning system. He urged the Ministry of Education to incorporate such drills into the school curriculum, suggesting they be conducted at least six times per year.
“With the frequency of earthquakes and the risk of flooding in some areas of Portmore due to being below sea level, such preparations have become essential.”
Douglas, who offered to repair the nonfunctional early-warning system, emphasised the need for early-warning systems to be mandatory in all schools. After witnessing the compromised structure of Waterford Infant School, he called for a review of building codes in Portmore to enhance structural safety in the event of future seismic events.