The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is advising the public that the tsunami watch has been cancelled for the Caribbean, after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake shook 8 kilometres off the coast of Costa Rica.

In a statement today, The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that the tsunami poses no threat to the Caribbean countries citing that the bulletin was inadvertently sent.

The Pacific Weather Centre is the authorised agency that guides governments and their national authorities of the occurrence of an earthquake with the potential of triggering a tsunami. Upon receipt of information the national governments refer to their Tsunami Protocols to determine whether national actions are required.

In Jamaica, the National Meteorological Service and the ODPEM are the only authorised agencies to advise the government in such instances, as they alone are mandated to issue alerts and bulletins regarding possible tsunami threats.

The ODPEM said it recognises that social networks and other media allow wide and instantaneous dissemination of all forms of material.

However, it is advising the public to exercise restraint in circulating information which has not been authenticated by these bodies.

editorial@gleanerjm.com