A United States geologist yesterday said a new active fault has been found in Kingston that poses a potential hazard, which can generate a major earthquake.

A fault is a crack or break in the earth's surface. Earthquakes occur on faults.

Dr Katherine Ellins, programme manager at the University of Austin in Texas, who was a doing research on the fault lines in the island, said that the new fault, which was found in Kingston Harbour, may be an extension of the Caymanas system and connects with the Plantain Garden fault system.

We think that this is an active fault but to confirm we need to take sediments core from around and in the Harbour, she said.

However, Dr Kelly said that Kingston is in a vulnerable area, hence the need for the Jamaican authorities to put measures in place to address an earthquake management programme.

Dr Kelly was speaking at a breakfast forum hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston. The aim of the forum was to bring stakeholders together to discuss Jamaica's earthquake risk and the country's capacity to cope with a major earthquake.