World - Puerto Rico
Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency and
activated the National Guard on Tuesday after a series of
earthquakes including one of magnitude 6.4 that was the most
powerful to strike the Caribbean island in 102 years.
The temblors killed at least one person, provoked a
protective power outage across the entire island and cut off
drinking water to 300,000 customers, Vazquez told a news
conference, where she also announced the emergency measures.
At least 346 people were left homeless, officials said.
The declaration of emergency will facilitate financial aid
for the U.S. territory, and Vazquez said she had already been in
contact with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The island has been rocked by a series of quakes - literally
hundreds - since Dec. 28, including 10 of magnitude 4 or
greater, the U.S. Geological Survey said. A 5.8-magnitude
temblor on Monday damaged some homes on the southern coast.
Powerful quakes are rare in Puerto Rico, and Tuesday's 6.4
was the strongest in more than a century, the island's
seismology office Red Sismica said. On Oct. 11, 1918, a 7.3
magnitude quake and tsunami killed 116 people, according to Red
Sismica data.
The U.S. territory is still recovering from a pair of
devastating 2017 hurricanes that killed about 3,000 people and
destroyed a significant amount of infrastructure. Puerto Rico is
also working through a bankruptcy process to restructure about
$120 billion of debt and pension obligations.
"We are a resilient people. We have responded to many
difficult situations. Now this has been asked of us one more
time," Vazquez said.
One of Tuesday's quakes triggered an automatic shutdown of
electricity across the island as a safety measure, and a later,
more powerful quake caused significant damage to some power
plants in the southern part of the island, Vazquez said.
Some 300,000 of Puerto Rico's 1.3 million water customers
lacked service, she said. The governor confirmed one death, as
reported by El Nuevo Dia, that a 73-year-old man died after a
wall fell on him.
But she said it was too soon to offer an accurate assessment
of damage or injuries.
Vazquez, who assumed office in August after Ricardo Rossello
stepped down in the face of massive street protests, repeated
pleas for people to remain calm.
"Nothing is gained by creating hysteria," she said, while
asking people to on check on their neighbors, especially the
elderly.
The first and biggest quake on Tuesday, of magnitude 6.4,
struck at a depth of 10.0 km (six miles) at 4:24 am (0824 GMT)
near Ponce on the island's southern coast, the U.S. Geological
Survey said.
Witnesses on social media described the quake as "super
strong" and lasting up to 30 seconds. It was followed by a
number of hefty aftershocks including one measuring 5.8.
The impact along the country's southern coast appeared
significant.
The quake severely damaged the Immaculate Conception church
in Guayanilla, leaving about half of it standing and surrounded
by piles of rubble, according to video posted by Wapa TV. A
picture published by El Nuevo Dia showed people removing
artifacts.
At least eight homes collapsed in Yauco, El Nuevo Dia
reported, citing Mayor Angel Torres. Wapa TV video showed one
home in Yauco flattened, its roof intact atop debris and
slanting until it touched the ground.
The international airport in Carolina, just east of San
Juan, continued normal service with the help of power
generators, El Nuevo Dia reported, citing Jorge Hernandez, chief
executive of Aerostar Airport Holdings.
In the town of Guanica, several buildings collapsed. Further
east in Maunabo, video on social media showed people evacuating
to higher ground following a tsunami warning.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported a small tsunami
measuring around 20 centimeters (7.9 inches).
Reuters