Over the last 48 hours, Kick’em Jenny, a submarine volcano located just north of Grenada, has experienced increased seismic activity.
According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Center (UWI SRC), activity began to ramp up at 11:14 PM Friday, February 9th, 2024, and continued through 3:00 AM Sunday, February 11th, 2024. During this time, 3,400 earthquakes were recorded, with the largest measuring magnitude 3.3 on February 10th, and was reported felt across northern areas of Grenada.
However, according to the UWI SRC, activity has subsided both in magnitude and frequency almost to a complete stop.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) of Grenada, the island’s disaster management organization, says the level of activity at the Kick’em Jenny Submarine Volcano can either increase, decrease, or remain at normal readings. Additionally, activity levels can fluctuate.
It also added that the UWI SRC will continue to monitor the submarine volcano and provide updated analyses of the situation. There are currently four fully functional seismic stations in the north of Grenada monitoring Kick’emJenny on a twenty-four-hour basis.
According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre’s Scientific Advisory, “Prior to 2001, as far as is known, KeJ erupted without associated precursory seismicity. The 2001 KeJ unrest episode was associated with precursory seismicity, as were those in 2015 and 2017. The 2018 unrest episodes represented another KeJ pattern change: high-level seismicity, with no eruption.” Kick’em Jenny previously saw an uptick in seismic activity in June 2020 as well.
“It is considered that KeJ volcanic earthquakes are possibly associated with magma intrusion, pressure changes related to magma crystallization or de-gassing effects, or some combination of these processes. It is possible that the system is sufficiently recharged to be able to generate eruptions without further significant high-level seismicity. Also likely is that seismicity will continue to be recorded, with possible intensification, subsiding to background levels, with or without eruptive activity.”
The Alert Level remains at YELLOW, which is a 1.5 km exclusion zone around the summit of the volcano. This is the second lowest level on a four-color scale.
NaDMA, together with UWI SRC, will continue to monitor and update as necessary. The U.W.I. Seismic Research Centre is the authority for seismic and volcanological information in the Eastern Caribbean. For details on Kick’em Jenny, see the UWI SRC.
Presently, there is no danger to Trinidad, Tobago and the remainder of the Lesser Antilles. Additionally, an eruption of Kick’em Jenny is unlikely to cause a tsunami at this time since currently the volcano’s vent is too deep (approximately 268 meters) for an explosive eruption to cause significant surface disturbance.
Yellow Level
What does this mean?
The Kick’em Jenny Volcano is restless. Seismicity and/or fumarolic activity are above the historical level, or other unusual activity has been observed or can be expected without warning. This is level two of four.
Actions for Scientists
- Bring the monitoring system to full capability.
- Civil authorities will be alerted, and the communication system will be tested.
Recommended action by Civil Authorities and the Public
- Intensify public awareness campaigns.
- An exclusion zone of 1.5 kilometers from the summit of the volcano should be enforced for non-essential shipping.
- Visiting scientists should ensure that the Sauteurs Observatory is manned throughout their visit (at their expense) and that the Observatory can contact their ship at any time. They must also be prepared to leave the exclusion zones immediately upon request.
