(Guyana Graphic September 21, 1968)
A violent earth tremor rocked Guyana for almost a minute yesterday morning, causing panic among thousands, many of whom ran out of their homes to escape danger.
It was the worst quake to hit the country in many years but no loss of life or serious damage was reported.
Believed to be the tail end of a tremor which originated in Venezuela and rocked Trinidad and Tobago, where two lives were lost, the quake occurred at 2.15 a.m. and sent thousands jumping out of their beds while the blare of automobile alarms set off by the tremor added to the panic.
Some excited parents tried to comfort screaming children , scores of others ran terror stricken into the streets in their night clothes and many wept and prayed.
For the benefit of Guyanese who wondered whether the worst was yet to come, the Geological Survey Department yesterday morning had the comforting news that there was no likelihood of more serious tremors since Guyana was situated in a “shield area” and could not therefore experience devastating earthquakes.
However the tremor was enough to set off at least sixteen electrical fires in the city , crack concrete structures on the Corentyne and other rural areas, uproot trees and send zinc sheets flying.
The Meteorological Department where the tremor was recorded, said they did not have the instrument to report on its intensity.
Earthquakes have been recorded by the Department since October 29, 1900.
The Georgetown area was hit by 20 earthquakes dating back to 1900, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
