Puerto Rico hit by 5.4 magnitude earthquake
May 3, 2020
The US territory of Puerto Rico was struck by a 5.4-magnitude earthquake on Saturday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. The quake hit the areas of Ponce and Guayanilla.
The USGS said the recent earthquake was an aftershock of a 6.4-magnitude tremor that struck Puerto Rico in January – the biggest earthquake to hit the territory since 1918. According to a report by the USGS, Puerto Rico can receive aftershocks of the 6.4-magnitude earthquake for up to 10 years.
The US didn't issue a tsunami warning following the earthquake. So far, there have been no reports of injuries, although 50 families were forced to relocate because of the tremor.
The Mayor of Ponce said that several buildings were damaged, while according to Governor Wanda Vazquez, the dams on the island were not damaged. Some residents lost power services following the quake, according to the Electric Energy Authority of Puerto Rico.
Prone to natural disasters
Puerto Rico is susceptible to natural disasters and is still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Maria, which hit the island in 2017. The storm cost some $90 billion (€79 billion) in damages, making it the third-costliest natural disaster in the US since 1900.
Researchers from Harvard University put the death toll from Hurricane Maria at over 4,600 – 70 times higher than the official figure given by the US government.
Read more: Study suggests Hurricane Maria killed more than 4,600 in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is currently on a two-month lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Governor Vazquez said the rescue teams were being sent to the areas that were hit by the latest earthquake. She urged people to leave their homes wearing a face mask. "If your infrastructure is damaged, you must leave with your face mask on and your emergency backpack," said Vazquez.
am/shs (AP, AFP, dpa)