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Experts Seek Answers Behind Constant Quakes in Puerto Rico & How to Help.

Jan 16, 2020

A map of seismic activity southwest of Puerto Rico in December 2019 and January 2020. Earthquake symbols are sized by magnitude - USGS/Public Domain
 
Scientists with the United States Geological Survey, change data cards in earthquake monitoring and recording equipment amid aftershocks across the island's southern coast where recent quakes have toppled homes and schools in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020 according to phys.org.
 
The seismic activity that experts say is unusual but not unexpected has unleashed scientific debate about what's causing it and drawn international attention to the area, where more than 4,000 people have sought shelter as they wonder when the ground will stop trembling.
 
Seismologists in southern Puerto Rico gingerly walked around a patch of dirt that marks the location of recently buried sensors they hope will reveal answers behind the constant and unusual shaking in the region that has terrified residents.
 
 
Alena Leeds with the U.S. Geological Survey stopped in front of the sensors on Tuesday afternoon and scrutinized the information that popped up on the screen in front of her.
 
"Here comes one! There's an aftershock," she said as the software showed red, blue and green lines that squiggled up and down.
 
More than 1,280 earthquakes have hit Puerto Rico's southern region since Dec. 28, more than two dozen of them magnitude 4.5 or greater, according to the USGS. Among them was a 6.4 magnitude quake that hit on Jan. 7, killing one person and injuring nine others, and a 5.9 magnitude aftershock that occurred Saturday, causing further damage. Government officials say the quakes have caused a preliminary $110 million in damage, toppled part of a famed rock formation landmark and damaged or destroyed more than 550 homes.
 
The seismic activity that experts say is unusual but not unexpected has unleashed scientific debate about what's causing it and drawn international attention to the area, where more than 4,000 people have sought shelter as they wonder when the ground will stop trembling.
 
Earthquake monitoring and recording equipment is maintained by scientists from the United States Geological Survey amid aftershocks across the island's southern coast where recent quakes have toppled homes and schools in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020. The seismic activity that experts say is unusual but not unexpected has unleashed scientific debate about what's causing it and drawn international attention to the area, where more than 4,000 people have sought shelter as they wonder when the ground will stop trembling.
 
"I don't plan on stepping foot in the house for any reason until this stops," said Adrián Santos, a 45-year-old mechanic who has been living in a tent in the southern coastal city of Ponce for nearly a week with nine other relatives. "The shaking is unbearable."
 
Scientists say they don't yet know much about the faults causing the quakes, although some experts believe at least three faults are involved, including the Punta Montalva one in southwest Puerto Rico that students and professors at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez discovered in the early 2000s.
 
"There are a lot of different opinions but not a lot of data," said Elizabeth Vanacore, an associate research professor at the university, which also houses the island's Seismic Network.
 
Overall, Puerto Rico is located in a very seismically active area, with the North America and Caribbean tectonic plates converging at a rate of about 2 centimeters a year, said Gavin Hayes, a USGS research geophysicist. To the north part of the island, the North America plate is moving past and sinking below Puerto Rico, while in the southern region, the Caribbean plate is sinking into the mantel underneath the island.
 
Alena L. Leeds, a scientist from the United States Geological Survey, operates earthquake monitoring and recording equipment amid aftershocks across the island's southern coast where recent quakes have toppled homes and schools in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020. The seismic activity that experts say is unusual but not unexpected has unleashed scientific debate about what's causing it and drawn international attention to the area, where more than 4,000 people have sought shelter as they wonder when the ground will stop trembling.
 
"Essentially, the island is being squeezed between these two tectonic plates," he said.
 
In the last 50 years, 10 earthquakes of magnitude 4 and higher have occurred within 50 kilometers of the recent 6.4 magnitude epicenter prior to Dec. 28, said Lindsay Davis, with USGS's earthquake disaster assistance team manager.
 
She said the rate of aftershocks following the 6.4 magnitude quake is higher than expected, but still within normal range. She also said Saturday's 5.9 magnitude quake was within the range of what was expected for the aftershock sequence.
 
Experts say the likeliest scenario is that the frequency of aftershocks will decrease in the next 30 days, noting that moderately sized ones could still further damage structures. A less likely scenario is another earthquake just as strong as the 6.4 one occurs in the same area, an event known as a doublet. A much less likely scenario is that an earthquake significantly larger than the 6.4 one hits Puerto Rico.
 
Meanwhile, scientists are still investigating the reason behind the constant shaking, fascinated that the aftershocks—in a departure from normal behavior—seem to be occurring along several faults, including the Punta Montalva one.
 
"Some of them we don't even know they're there until they talk," said Leeds, the USGS seismologist. "And now it's talking very loudly."
 
Here are some organizations involved in relief efforts in Puerto Rico that you can help:
 
HISPANIC FEDERATION: The nonprofit organization launched the UNIDOS initiative for disaster relief in Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Maria. Hispanic Federation said that through contributions to UNIDOS thousands of solar lamps are being made available for distribution, as well as emergency funds for local health and human service providers working in communities affected by the earthquake. Hispanic Federation has also partnered with the University of Puerto Rico to provide mental health services across the island focused on trauma therapy after natural disasters.
To donate to UNIDOS -
https://www.hispanicfederationunidos.org/donate-now-earthquake-emergency.
 
DIRECT RELIEF: The organization offers support to healthcare providers across the island, in coordination with the Puerto Rican Department of Health, the Puerto Rican Hospital Association, the Puerto Rican Medical Reserve Corps, and the Puerto Rican Primary Care Association. Direct Relief will be organizing teams of doctors, nurses, and mental health counselors to offer medical and mental health services to residents and those staying in shelters.
To donate to Direct Relief -
https://secure.directrelief.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2924&mfc_pref=T&2924.donation=form1.
 
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN: Founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen prepares meals for people affected by disasters. World Central Kitchen has served nearly 10 million meals on the front lines of emergencies since the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and is on the ground in Puerto Rico serving hot meals to families displaces by the earthquake.
To donate to World Central Kitchen -
https://donate.wck.org/give/236738/#!/donation/checkout.
 
AMERICAN RED CROSS: The American Red Cross is on the ground in Puerto Rico, working with local and federal workers at government shelters to provide emotional support and distribute emergency supplies to those impacted by the earthquakes.
To donate to the Red Cross -
https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/ or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
 
ALL HANDS AND HEARTS: is a volunteer-powered nonprofit that works to address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters around the world. All Hands and hearts has been on the ground in Puerto Rico since September 2017, helping remove debris, repair roofs, and rebuild infrastructures damaged by Hurricane Maria.
To donate to the All Hands and Hearts -
https://give.allhandsandhearts.org/give/153931/#!/donation/checkout.
For more information on how to volunteer -
https://www.allhandsandhearts.org/volunteer/puerto-rico-hurricane-relief/disaster-volunteer-in-puerto-rico/.
 
AMERICARES: The Stamford, Connecticut-based nonprofit has been on the ground in Puerto Rico helping the island nation's health services recover from Hurricane Maria since 2017. Americares trains local health workers to help people cope with the trauma of natural disasters and provides medical assistance to health facilities throughout the country.
To donate to Americares -
https://secure.americares.org/site/Donation2?df_id=24931&mfc_pref=T&24931.donation=form1&utm_source=socialih&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=jan_daily&utm_content=010820_02link.
 
SALVATION ARMY: The Salvation Army is serving hot meals to disaster survivors and rescue workers and opened four Salvation Army Recovery Centers for relief efforts.
To donate -
https://give.helpsalvationarmy.org/give/166081/#!/donation/checkout.
 



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