Puerto Rico declares emergency after strongest earthquake in 102 years

[Judi Lynn]

Last edited Wed Jan 8, 2020, 05:24 AM - Edit history (1)

Wednesday, 08 Jan 2020 07:16 AM MYT

SAN JUAN, Jan 8 — Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard yesterday 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 quakes 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.

At least 346 people were left homeless, officials said, as homes were flattened, mostly in the south of the island. Many damaged buildings sat next to piles of rubble.

The declaration of emergency will facilitate federal financial aid for the US territory. Vazquez said she had been in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Several members of Congress including Florida's two US senators and Puerto Rico's non-voting member of the House of Representatives appealed to US President Donald Trump for aid.

More:
https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2020/01/08/puerto-rico-declares-emergency-after-strongest-earthquake-in-102-years/1825679

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Video: Aftershocks feared after Puerto Rico earthquake
Puerto Rico is under a state of emergency following a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake. At least one person is dead and millions are without power. David Begnaud reports.
10H AGO

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/puerto-rico-resident-fear-aftershocks-after-deadly-earthquake/

[Chicago1980]

1. So sad...

They just can't seem to catch a break.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

2. How To Help Puerto Rico

(posted earlier in General Discussion)

How To Help Puerto Rico After A 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake Struck The Island
By Jay Polish
Jan 7, 2020

Link: https://www.bustle.com/p/how-to-help-puerto-rico-after-a-64-magnitude-earthquake-struck-the-island-19773447

(snip)

On Jan. 7, the worst earthquake in Puerto Rico since 2014 struck the island around 4:30 a.m. The 6.4 magnitude quake was followed three hours later by a 6.0 magnitude aftershock, CBS News reports. As residents prepare for other possible tremors, it is important to work with local organizations to help Puerto Rico after the earthquake.

According to CNN, over a third of the island's utility customers had no water service following the quake, and much of the island temporarily lost power. Much of the power outages and damage is concentrated around Puerto Rico's southern coast, which was the epicenter of the quake. Mayita Meléndez, the mayor of Ponce on the island's southern coast, said that eight people had been reported injured and one 77-year-old man had been killed in the intense tremors, CBS reported. The 6.4 magnitude quake followed smaller seismic events that had been felt on the island since the last week of December.

Many Puerto Ricans on the island and in diaspora recalled the feeling immediately after September 2017's Hurricane María in interviews and Twitter posts. With the recovery from Hurricane María still ongoing on the island, relief efforts take on even greater importance.

Here are five ways you can help Puerto Rico recover from the most recent earthquake.

Feel free to evaluate any of the listed charities using Charity Navigator: https://www.charitynavigator.org/

KY..........

[mitch96]

3. And tRump will do nothing........ nt