Cover Page Legal HistorySports SearchExperts sought to analyze ‘strange’ sounds from underground in GuayanillaThe San Juan Daily StarDec 11 told an online news outlet that the vibrations shook doors and windows and interrupted the sleep of people in the Guayanilla community.By The Star Staff Ramón Ruiz Nieves on Tuesday asked for attention from the U.S Geological Service following the demands of residents of the San Germán del Barrio Indios sector of Guayanilla who have recorded unusual subterranean sounds “We start from the reality that the earthquakes of 2020 had their epicenter precisely in this neighborhood We start from the reality that the earthquakes of 2020 had their epicenter precisely in this neighborhood,” the recently reelected Ponce District senator said “Now the residents have made a call and it is this federal agency that has the experience and resources to examine the situation.” who chairs the Senate Government Committee told a Ponce-based online news outlet that the vibrations shook doors and windows and interrupted the sleep of people in the community “One of the residents even reported the appearance of puddles on land that does not hold water for more than two days and the sudden flooding of two septic tanks one of which was built just a month ago,” the senator said the appearance of surface springs was recorded.” Ruiz Nieves meanwhile thanked the director of the Puerto Rico Seismic Network The geophysicist agreed to evaluate some of the recordings made in the community and categorized the noises captured as “strange.” Huérfano points out that the noises are very periodic not as even and not as harmonic as those heard in Guayanilla,” the senator said © 2025 The San Juan Daily Star - Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (AP) — A new community has popped up in this earthquake-damaged town in southwest Puerto Rico: it houses 300 people President Donald Trump to declare an emergency in the U.S Hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans are still without power and water and thousands are staying in shelters and sleeping on sidewalks since Tuesday’s earthquake injured nine others and damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and several schools and businesses in the island’s southwest region The unusual seismic activity and strong aftershocks have delayed recovery efforts caused a spike in people staying in government shelters like the one in Guayanilla and unleashed panic among thousands of Puerto Ricans “I’ve reached the point where I’m getting on my knees in the street to pray and I’m even listening to Christian music,” said Irma Vega “It’s been 20 years since I’ve worshipped.” WATCH: Magnitude 6.4 tremor causes Puerto Rico’s worst earthquake damage in decades Another aftershock of 4.36-magnitude hit overnight causing people in the shelter to yell “It’s shaking It’s shaking!”as some sat upright in their cots died from a heart attack following the aftershock They said earlier information that her home had collapsed was incorrect Government officials are trying to calm and distract people by turning some shelters into a makeshift community At the baseball park in Guayanilla late Thursday night — the town’s largest one — volunteers played the movie “Dinosaur,” for a dozen small children who sat enraptured and cross-legged as generators roared in the background and the elderly nestled under blankets in the chilly air and tried to sleep older children kicked up dust as they chased each other on bicycles People still trickled into the baseball field close to midnight She dragged a small suitcase with her right hand and carried her 10-year-old Chihuahua “Princess,” in her left as the dog snuggled into a pink blanket “Find me a little cot,”she told volunteers as she recounted the recent nights at home “My home is shaking from side to side… I’m even scared to take a shower… I’m so ready to leave.” Ramos spent the night on an army green cot and left early Friday morning for New York to temporarily stay with her son But for those who cannot afford to fly to the U.S “I don’t know what we’re supposed to do,” said 27-year-old Eddie Caraballo as he walked around with a small speaker playing reggaeton to cheer himself up Among the 300 people staying in Guayanilla’s largest shelter was its mayor He said two bridges are cracked and five of the town’s seven schools that serve some 2,500 students are seriously damaged noting that the island’s education department has not yet advised him on what to do with those schoolchildren he said 51 homes collapsed and another 19 are too dangerous to live in and hundreds of other families whose homes were not damaged are still living in shelters regardless As a full moon rose over Puerto Rico overnight the smell of mosquito repellent filled the air and the shelter in Guayanilla grew quiet except for the occasional crunch of footsteps on the blue tarps covering parts of the baseball field It’s the same type of tarp that Carmen Orengo had on her home for a year after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in September 2017 as a Category 4 storm killing an estimated 2,975 people in the aftermath and causing more than an estimated $100 billion in damage “I lost everything in the hurricane,” she said as she paused and sighed: “Only to go through the same thing again.” © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Conoma M. Irizarry of New Castle, DE, went home to be with the Lord on July 14, 2016 at the age of 85. She was born in Bo Sierra Baja Guayanilla, Puerto Rico on April 17, 1931. Conoma was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by her family... View Obituary & Service Information Irizarry created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories You can reach us 24/7/365 at (302) 731-5459 Copyright © 2025 Strano & Feeley Family Funeral Home and Crematory Chicago District has extended the public comment period for the draft Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Assessment for the Río Guayanilla Flood Risk Management Study at the Municipality of Guayanilla USACE is now accepting comments through Oct The study area is the alluvial valley in which the municipality resides with principal benefits of the plan for Guayanilla and the outlying neighborhoods of El Faro The draft report considers structural and nonstructural management measures to reduce the risk of flooding in the lower watershed at Guayanilla. Features of the proposed alternatives described in the draft report include various diversion channel and levee alignments and types that would direct all flood waters at or above the two-year flood occurrence around the municipality of Guayanilla to the west. Public meetings are scheduled next month in Puerto Rico to provide more information about the proposed alternative(s), and seek input from members of the community and other stakeholders: Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox A historic 19th-century church in the Puerto Rican town of Guayanilla was among the many buildings that collapsed when powerful earthquakes rocked the island on Monday and today. People also fled from their collapsing homes, and at least one person was reported dead. Pablo Ojeda O’Neill, the director of the Historic Preservation Department and Program at the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, says that most of the damage from the quakes was concentrated in the southwestern section of the island, where there are two important declared historic districts, Ponce and San Germán, as well as several additional listed buildings. A 6.4-magnitude quake early this morning triggered a widespread blackout on the island, making communications difficult, and a reliable toll of the damage was unavailable. Early reports indicated that damage to historic buildings ranged from minor cracks and the loss of architectural ornaments to the total collapse of historic buildings, Ojeda O'Neill says. Among them, he said, was the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Guayanilla, which he said dates from 1850. “Starting tomorrow we are going to carry out specific inspection in the region to establish the extent of the damages and to quickly move to the mitigation and stabilisation stages," he adds. A predawn 5.8-magnitude earthquake also struck Puerto Rico on Monday and leveled homes after a heavy week of tremors, and aftershocks continued after this morning’s quake. Hundreds of thousands of people were reported to be without water service as well as electricity. The island is still struggling to recover from the ravages of Hurricane Maria in 2017, which plunged Puerto Rico into a humanitarian crisis. news7 March 2018The road to recovery: Puerto Rican museums regroup after hurricaneIsland’s institutions join forces to safeguard collections and plan for future disasters news19 November 2018Exhibitors see steady sales at the second edition of Puerto Rico's MECA art fairThe young art fair re-opened in a new San Juan venue after Hurricane Maria damage LULAC FILES HISTORIC LAWSUIT TO DEFEND VOTING RIGHTS FROM EXECUTIVE OVERREACH THREATENING AMERICA'S DEMOCRACY Read Here Nelson Torres Yordan is a Puerto Rican politician affiliated with the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) He was the Speaker in the city legislature of Guayanilla and he was later elected to the Puerto Rico House of Representatives in 2012 to represent District 23 Torres resigned his seat in January 2016 to be sworn in as Mayor of Guayanilla Nelson Torres Yordán earned a Juris Doctor from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce By the end of the first half of the 20th century Puerto Rico was among the poorest countries in the Caribbean region due to its traditionally based and no longer profitable sugarcane economy Governor Luis Muñoz Marin and the United States government began ''Operación Manos a la Obra'' (Operation Bootstrap) aiming to transform the island into a modern competitive economy The operation's goal was to industrialize Puerto Rico's economy Among the factory-based companies emerging from the operation was the Commonwealth Oil Refining Company which settled between the towns of Peñuelas and Guayanilla but it didn't begin operations until two years later The $25 million dollar project included eight petrochemical plants and the capacity to refine about 23,500 oil barrels on a daily basis diesel oil and propane among other products The refinery represented a shift on the island's economy becoming Puerto Rico's top employer by creating around 2,700 jobs it was ranked by Fortune Magazine as one of the top 500 largest companies in the United States it was considered one of the largest independent petroleum refiners and petrochemical producers worldwide The Oil Crisis of 1973 dealt a swift and mortal blow to CORCO The oil embargo orchestrated by the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries shot up the oil prices aiming to hurt those countries allied with Israel this included the United States and its territories CORCO could no longer compete profitably against other oil refineries in the U.S Those refineries could soften the blow by purchasing oil produced domestically an option Puerto Rico didn't have after purchasing all its oil from Venezuela hanging on under bankruptcy laws until its demise in 1982 most of the imposing structure remains abandoned except for a small portion that operates as a terminal for marine transportation and as a storage for crude oil and petroleum products The Puerto Rican government has teased with ideas to repurpose the land CORCO aimed to revitalize the island's economy it brought devastating results when it died the imposing structures will appear on your left Keep in mind that entering the property is considered illegally trespassing and the structures may still hold chemicals Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboard5.0 quake hits southern Puerto Rico amid ongoing tremorsA 5.0 magnitude earthquake hit southern Puerto Rico on Saturday at a shallow depth raising concerns about unstable infrastructure in a region that has been hit by quakes daily for nearly a month Puerto Rico — A 5.0 magnitude earthquake hit southern Puerto Rico on Saturday at a shallow depth raising concerns about unstable infrastructure in a region that has been hit by quakes every day for nearly a month Geological Survey said the quake occurred at a depth of eight miles (13 kilometers) around the southern coastal town of Guayanilla located close to the epicenters of most of the recent earthquakes “We felt it really hard,” town spokesman Danny Hernandez told The Associated Press saying authorities were patrolling the area to investigate any potential damage The newest quake comes a day after hundreds of people in the island's southern region were evacuated from earthquake shelters that flooded after heavy rains hit the U.S more than 350 people on Friday were moved back into a school that served as the initial shelter when the ground first began shaking He said no damage was immediately reported in Ponce but that crews were out inspecting buildings in areas affected by a 6.4 magnitude quake that hit Jan killing one person and damaging hundreds of homes A 5.9 aftershock that hit the same area on Jan The ground in southern Puerto Rico first began shaking on Dec and while experts say several local faults are to blame they are still analyzing data to determine why the earthquakes continue President Donald Trump has approved a major disaster declaration for more than dozen municipalities in Puerto Rico following earthquakes that officials say have caused more than $200 million in damage and officials expected that number to rise as a result of Saturday’s quake You do not have access to www.researchgate.net The site owner may have set restrictions that prevent you from accessing the site A broken church statue is seen amid rubble in Guayanilla the Caribbean island has been struck by more than 500 earthquakes with a magnitude of 2 or greater The biggest came before dawn Tuesday when a 6.4 magnitude quake killed at least one person and destroyed dozens of homes and structures “At the moment there's a lot of uncertainty. There's a lot of tension and anxiety,” said photographer Gabriella N. Báez, who has lived on the island her whole life and has been documenting the aftermath of Tuesday’s quake rests with her family at a refuge center in Guayanilla She says she worries that recovery will be difficult especially for those hit hard by Hurricane Maria two years ago Night falls in San Juan. Roughly two-thirds of Puerto Rico remained without electricity on Wednesday Many Puerto Ricans don’t feel safe inside their homes right now “People are just sleeping outside in tents or in their cars because they're afraid that another earthquake may strike and it might be a bigger one,” Báez said “They don't want to get stuck under a roof.” Guayanilla and Ponce near the island’s southwestern coast “And different government agencies are in the refuge providing aid.” A sign at a home in Guayanilla reads “We are OK.” An electrical post is broken in Guayanilla The island is vulnerable to quakes because it is squeezed between two major tectonic plates Wanda Vázquez Garced declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to help residents many of whom are still reeling from Hurricane Maria in 2017 That deadly storm devastated Puerto Rico, and the disaster response was the largest and longest in US history according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency you knew when and at what time it would arrive,” Guayanilla resident Tatiana Rodriguez told her you don’t know at what time it’s going to happen.” Aid workers and politicians distribute cots in Guayanilla Rodolfo Pérez and his daughter Ashley Ramirez Pérez stay at a refuge center after Tuesday’s big earthquake told Báez “Hurricane Maria was nothing compared to this.” She went to the refuge center after Tuesday’s big quake quickly ran outside and waited for it all to pass,” she said Now her apartment is separating from the sidewalk and her balcony was toppled “People who lost their homes don't know what they're going to do,” Báez said we had Hurricane Maria where a lot of these southern communities were very affected by it and had to start from zero And now they're facing that situation again.” Orven Velazquez takes flowers to his mother's grave in Guayanilla Rubble is seen at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Guayanilla Much of Puerto Rico was still without power on Wednesday Engineers have been working to restore it in phases executive director of the Electric Power Authority Schools are closed until they can be inspected and deemed safe many locals don’t know how long their stay is going to last so they're waiting on the engineers to check out the structures and tell them if it's safe or not,” Báez said “They have no idea when they're going to be returning.” A Puerto Rican flag was placed in the rubble of a collapsed hardware store in Guanica. Tuesday’s 6.4 magnitude earthquake is likely the island's most damaging earthquake in over a century. Nicole Oquendo holds one of her sons at the refuge center in Ponce lost her home and recalled the devastation after Tuesday’s big quake I’ve never felt something like it,” she told Báez Many people were trapped inside their apartments when doors wouldn’t open She took her children to the refuge center in Ponce “I have to stay strong because I have to take care of my three boys,” she said “Our only option is to live one day at a time because if we think about the future we'll be in despair.” Doctors and nurses help refugees at a school in Ponce The Costa Sur power plant near Guayanilla suffered severe damage on Tuesday Screenshot from a video of the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Puerto Rico on Monday causing damage to some buildings and rockfalls in some areas A 5.8 magnitude earthquake rattled the city of Guayanilla and nearby areas in southern Puerto Rico on Monday morning shoving brick houses off their foundations knocking over walls and collapsing a local landmark: Punta Ventana a natural rock archway that the ocean's waves had carved over centuries "Today our icon remains in the memory of all," Guayanilla press official Glidden López Torres said on Facebook [GUAYANILLA] Desaparece la ventana natural en Punta Ventana, Guayanilla. pic.twitter.com/IN0LI7XuKK got its name from the rare and nearly circular view visitors could enjoy through the cliffside that jutted out into the Caribbean Sea who often stood on the beach to photograph the horizon through the gaping hole visitors could even walk out along the top of the rock formation to take in a panoramic view of the coast A string of recent seismic movements had already knocked a large chunk out of the window The temblor hit offshore at a shallow depth of 6 kilometers triggering landslides and other damage inland No serious injuries have been reported from Monday's earthquake But it startled many people awake — sending them rushing outside to escape possible harm and ruining the start of Three Kings Day a Christian holiday also known as the Feast of the Epiphany Gov. Wanda Vázquez says government agencies will review the safety of roads, bridges and other infrastructure. And she adds that special attention will be paid to school buildings Houses and store damaged by quake in Guánica Images from southwestern Puerto Rico show that several cars were crushed beneath their garages after homes toppled off their foundations After more than a week of less powerful temblors many people spent much of the morning outside Torres said on Facebook that Monday's quake was "the most frightening thing that we've experienced" in Guayanilla — which sits in a coastal area that was ravaged by Hurricane Maria in 2017 Nearby communities are also reporting seismic damage. In the town of Guánica, officials say they have recorded structural damage at 11 houses, the newspaper Primera Hora reports Mayor María Mayita Meléndez declared a state of emergency after several structures were damaged "This is one of the strongest quakes to date since it started shaking on Dec Become an NPR sponsor Sophia Waterfield is a reporter for Newsweek based at its London bureau She has written for publications such as Metro UK and has covered topics such as business technology Sophia graduated from the University for the Creative Arts in 2010 where she studied journalism You can contact her on s.waterfield@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Puerto Rico has been hit with another earthquake this morning the strongest one thus far in a series since December 2019 The 5.8-magnitude quake struck just south of the island at a relatively shallow depth of six kilometers (km) 13km south southeast of Indios at 6.32 a.m Power outages were reported in some parts of Puerto Rico following the quake but has been no confirmation of casualties However, the tourist attraction, the Playa Ventana Rock Formation, in Guayanilla, has collapsed due to the quake. According to El Nuevo Dia the tremors caused parts of the rocks to break off of the stone and as a result "The Window Beach" disappeared press officer of the municipality of Guayanilla It has also been confirmed that five residences in the Esperanza neighborhood have collapsed The Playa Ventana is located in the Boca neighborhood of Guanyanilla It is known as "Window Beach" because the middle of the rock is raised above the shoreline with a hole allowing people to look out at the sea As a main tourist attraction for the "Fishermans Village" the collapse of Playa Ventana has the potential to hurt the local economy On top of everything that's going on, PR has experienced 500+ tremors of varying magnitude since 12/28. The strongest so far was this morning ~ 6 am, magnitude of 5.8, strong enough to knock over a natural formation that gives Playa Ventana its name! https://t.co/qKTGQa2Czz There is no tsunami warning issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center USGS has warned that the island should be ready for more earthquakes According to its commentary on the earthquake on its website Puerto Rico residents need to be aware of the possibility of aftershocks especially "when in or around vulnerable structures." The forecast also says that there is a five percent chance that one or more of the aftershocks will be larger than a magnitude of 5.8—there has been one magnitude 3 or higher earthquakes in this sequence The USGS estimates the chance of more aftershocks residents should do the following after an earthquake: More information can be found on the NMEAD website Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all A canopy shielded Marianela González Cintrón, who is battling pelvic cancer, from the relentless sun as she lay in a lawn chair under a blanket near a cluster of tents. Her family had opted for the outdoors after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, the strongest to hit the Caribbean island in more than a century, this week frightened them into thinking they would not escape if another temblor struck. “The house was dancing,” said Doris Cintrón, González Cintrón’s mother. Such natural disasters, extended power outages and political upheaval, cresting with peaceful protests against the government that resulted in Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s resignation in July, have hit Puerto Rico particularly hard and in rapid succession. The earthquake Tuesday, one in a series of hundreds of seismic events that have jolted Puerto Rico since late December, has caused the latest major obstacle faced by residents in the two years since Hurricane Maria unleashed a stream of volatility across the U.S. commonwealth. The hurricane caused thousands of related deaths, according to estimates, and left the island struggling to recover from the destruction. Many buildings collapsed as a result of Tuesday’s temblor, which also damaged the island’s infrastructure along its southwest coast, according to officials. It caused at least one death, has again left hundreds of thousands of people without power or water and led many to seek shelter or live outside rather than return to their homes. Damage from a 6.4 earthquake in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. (Jorge Castillo/Los Angeles Times) Residents of the island this week said they were anxious but grateful that the recent quakes and aftershocks — one a magnitude 5.8 quake that toppled the Punta Ventana rock formation — had not been more severe. The Trump administration — which was criticized by many Puerto Ricans for what they considered a slow, inadequate response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017 — on Wednesday approved Puerto Rico’s request for a federal disaster declaration. On Thursday, a public health emergency was declared as another round of anxiety occurred for the island population of about 3 million U.S. citizens largely unfamiliar with quakes. The last prominent earthquake in Puerto Rico, on the border of two tectonic plates, occurred in 1918. Concentrated 30 miles off the northwestern coast, the tremor and subsequent tsunami killed 116 people. This time, most of the effects were concentrated in the southwest region of the island, leaving behind scenes reminiscent of Maria’s aftermath. The lack of streetlights spawned slow-moving chaos down Highway 127, Guayanilla’s main road. Lines of cars waiting at gas stations had spilled out into the street until the stations went empty Wednesday. Supermarket parking lots were flooded with people waiting to buy food, though they had no power or water at home. Guayanilla resident Hector Rivera Figueroa, 62, said he waited in line Tuesday at a bakery for an hour to order bread. He returned two hours later to retrieve it. Hundreds of people in Guánica, the municipality hit hardest, slept at the Mario “Tito” Rodríguez Coliseum on Wednesday night. More than 1,000 people bunked at various shelters in Ponce, the island’s second-biggest city. Cars lined Mario “Ñato” Ramírez Torres Municipal Stadium, where families gathered in Yauco. The chef and philanthropist Jose Andres was stationed there to help feed people. In Guayanilla, 200 homes, many built on stilts, were damaged and 47 completely collapsed, according to Glidden Lopez, the town’s spokesman. “The reality is that it’s going to be very difficult to begin utilizing most of the buildings in town,” Lopez said. “We’re practically talking about a municipality that has to be reconstructed.” Classes were scheduled to resume Monday but dozens of schools in the region were not expected to be ready. On Tuesday, Education Secretary Eligio Hernández reportedly said that up to 95% of Puerto Rico’s public schools were not constructed to current earthquake codes. Maribela Lugo Garcia has been the director of Guayanilla’s school band for 17 years. They have performed at the Rose Parade four times, last appearing a year ago after rebounding from Maria and the two months with no classes that followed. She fears another extended absence is ahead. Many of her supplies, including the band’s uniforms and instruments, are stuck in her class in the school’s second floor, which remains inaccessible. “We need to figure out how to get everything out of there,” Lugo Garcia said. “That’s going to take some time.” Maritza González Cintrón, president of a local environmental organization, had been distributing resources to residents since Monday while maintaining communication with people around the island to coordinate help. The goal was to ensure that necessities, especially water, reached those in need — a widespread problem after Hurricane Maria. “People don’t pay attention to these necessities,” said González Cintrón, “including our government, which doesn’t give the proper attention to what we’re going to drink.” A few minutes up the street, González Cintrón’s sister, Marianela, had her husband, Cecilio Acosta González, by her side. “With a hurricane, you know it’s coming,” Acosta González said. “They tell you where it’s going to pass through, what you should have, the wind’s strength. But nobody knows what is going to happen with this.” At La Parroquia Inmaculada Concepción church, which was constructed in 1841, Father Melvin Díaz stood among the rubble left after the magnitude 5.8 temblor Monday. He hugged those who showed up to see what had happened to the church. Parroquia Inmaculada Concepción church was heavily damaged after a 6.4 earthquake hit just south of the island in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. (Jorge Castillo/Los Angeles Times) “It’s shocking to see this,” said Díaz, the parish priest. “But these people have the desire and will to work together to get through this.” A half-hour away, past a rock slide that had shut down a lane on Highway 2 along the Caribbean Sea, Marta Martínez Morales was home in Ponce spending her Wednesday brewing coffee and cooking food for others. The 68-year-old retired schoolteacher and Army National Guard sergeant hadn’t slept for two nights. She spent them in her covered patio outside her kitchen fully dressed with the radio on, listening for any updates knowing social media couldn’t be trusted. Her neighbors slept outside their houses or in their cars. She said many were panicked and most didn’t have much faith in elected officials. They were just hoping the worst was behind them. “Emotionally, we’re very fragile,” Martínez Morales said. Jorge Castillo is a sports enterprise reporter, with a focus on baseball, for the Los Angeles Times. California World & Nation Hollywood Inc. Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map It's not your fault — it's your browser's, but there are many more modern browsers you can use to browse Crux: A larger temblor of magnitude 6.4 rattled Puerto Rico before dawn Jan killing at least one person and destroying a Catholic church A series of earthquakes and aftershocks beneath the southern part of the island have been occurring since the night of Dec — At least one person has died and one Catholic church was destroyed by the latest of a series of earthquakes to rock Puerto Rico A magnitude 6.4 quake shook people awake at 4:24 a.m less than 24 hours after a magnitude 5.8 temblor shook the island in the predawn hours of Jan Aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 3.8 to 6 were felt throughout the island following the early morning temblor The continuous shaking has taken a psychological toll executive director of Caritas of Puerto Rico which is affiliated with Catholic Charities USA “Right now we are helping the people with emotional support,” Camacho told Catholic News Service Jan “What we fear is that we continue having these earthquakes The latest earthquake sent people scurrying from their homes into the streets from Ponce westward along the island’s southern coast to the towns of Guayanilla Police in Ponce said a 73-year-old man died when a wall fell on him Immaculate Conception Church in Guayanilla was severely damaged Mayor Nelson Torres Yordan told a local television station Photos posted by El Nuevo Dia showed residents removing the church’s undamaged tabernacle to safety Camacho said the church had survived the island’s major earthquake of 1918 “The only church that remained on the street (in 1918) was that,” he said “That’s really sad because it was a very historical monument Camacho said he had been in contact with Bishop Ruben Gonzalez Medina of Ponce where the cathedral experienced some damage 7 at the cathedral and numerous parishes across the diocese “I talked with a priest in charge of social ministry in Ponce,” Camacho told CNS “He told me even himself he is not traveling to see what is happening (in the diocese) because they are afraid there could be more ruts in the road and their lives are in danger.” Puerto Rico has experienced a series of minor earthquakes beginning the night of Dec The most recent large quake knocked out power to much of the island The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority reported that all of its power plants went offline after its “auto protection” systems were activated The company reported damage to one of its main power plants near the earthquake’s epicenter but that technicians were working to restore electricity to other parts of the island Archbishop Robert Gonzalez Nieves of San Juan tweeted soon after the quake Jan 7: “A 6.7-point earthquake has just shaken all of Puerto Rico that is now without light Camacho said if more powerful earthquakes occur he feared damage in the rural mountainous center of the island Caritas of Puerto Rico is in a holding pattern “We are waiting to see what are the damages,” the priest said “We are willing to help people reconstruct as soon as possible.” Crux is dedicated to smart, wired and independent reporting on the Vatican and worldwide Catholic Church. 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Today’s top stories delivered straight into your inbox Windmar Yauco-Guayanilla Solar PV Park is a 20MW solar PV power project The project is currently in permitting stage the project is expected to get commissioned in 2022 The project is being developed and currently owned by Windmar Renewable Energy Windmar Yauco-Guayanilla Solar PV Park is a ground-mounted solar project The project is expected to generate 38,544MWh of electricity Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis The power generated from the project will be sold to Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority under a power purchase agreement for a period of 20 years All power projects included in this report are drawn from GlobalData’s Power Intelligence Center The information regarding the project parameters is sourced through secondary information sources such as electric utilities government planning reports and publications Wherever needed the information is further validated through primary from various stakeholders across the power value chain and professionals from leading players within the power sector Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network '+n.escapeExpression("function"==typeof(o=null!=(o=r(e,"eyebrowText")||(null!=l?r(l,"eyebrowText"):l))?o:n.hooks.helperMissing)?o.call(null!=l?l:n.nullContext||{},{name:"eyebrowText",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:28,column:63},end:{line:28,column:78}}}):o)+" \n '+(null!=(o=c(e,"if").call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2PreText"):l,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(32,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:63,column:20},end:{line:63,column:61}}}))?o:"")+"\n"+(null!=(o=(c(e,"ifAll")||l&&c(l,"ifAll")||n.hooks.helperMissing).call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Text"):l,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Link"):l,{name:"ifAll",hash:{},fn:n.program(34,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:64,column:20},end:{line:70,column:30}}}))?o:"")+" Corrections & clarifications: An earlier version of this story included incorrect information about which Puerto Rico landmarks were damaged; they were Punta Ventana in Guayanilla and Ruinas del Faro in Borinquen A popular tourist landmark in Puerto Rico Punta Ventana, was destroyed in the Puerto Rico earthquakes Monday.  Additionally, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company confirmed in a statement to USA TODAY that Ruinas del Faro A 5.8-magnitude quake hit the Caribbean island before dawn Monday causing power outages and severely cracking homes It was one of the strongest quakes yet to hit the U.S which has been hit by temblors for the past week There were no immediate reports of casualties.  The tourism company said no damage was reported in most other regions of the island.  The head of the organization encourages tourists and locals to stay calm and review their action plans in case of emergencies The beachside rock formation was located in the town of Guayanilla and was aptly named Punta Ventana (or "Window Point") as it resembled a stone window that looked out to a beautiful view of the ocean behind it According to The New York Times, Mayor Nelson Torres Yordán said "it finally fell" on Monday after the formation started to look vulnerable when smaller temblors began hitting the area a week earlier Denniza Colon, a 22-year-old resident of Guayanilla, told the Miami Herald that she was shocked when she saw the arch had vanished “This is really sad,” she told the outlet in a telephone interview “It was one of the biggest tourism draws of Guayanilla.” Some of the over 16,000 Instagram results for the hashtag #Guayanilla feature shots of Punta Ventana Side-by-side images of the destruction are also being shared around social media though USA TODAY was unable to verify the photos' authenticity.  User @savingpuertorico shared a post along with the caption: "One of Puerto Rico’s iconic natural wonders — a soaring stone arch along the southern coast known as Punta Ventana or Window Point — collapsed early Monday" More: 'Panic' in Puerto Rico as two strong earthquakes strike within hours More: Rosario Dawson, Lin-Manuel Miranda help travelers rediscover Puerto Rico as tourism bounces back Print Wilfredo Ramirez Lopez didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary when he last saw Ivan Lopez which was at the funeral for Lopez’s mother He told Lopez to contact his son if he needed someone to talk to awoke Thursday to the news that Ivan Lopez had gone on a shooting rampage at Ft killing three people and himself and leaving 16 people injured He has lived next door to Lopez’s parents for more than a decade in a quiet neighborhood of Guayanilla Ramirez Lopez said he did not know that Lopez had complained about traumatic brain injury after a four-month stint in Iraq He had heard through news outlets that Lopez was being evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder Lopez was upset that the Army had given him less than two days to attend his mother’s funeral Carmen Lopez had died of a heart attack in November “They should have given him three or four days,” Ramirez Lopez said “The death of his grandfather earlier and the death of his mother said many soldiers returning from war suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder which he said could have played a role in Lopez’s actions Lopez was deployed to Iraq in 2011 but did not see combat “We’re not taking care of veterans when they come back from the war,” he said Maybe he couldn’t and look at the tragedy that has happened.” He said he has not communicated with the Lopez family said on her Facebook page she was too upset to comment “I’m completely devastated,” she wrote in Spanish “I will not be able to respond to messages Guayanilla Mayor Edgardo Arlequin Velez expressed sadness “We’re united in the grief that has overcome the family of [Ivan] Lopez and our town,” he said “Our deepest condolences on the tragedy that has occurred the wife of a soldier who knew Lopez when he was stationed at Ft Bliss said she remembered him as a quiet person with an appetite for street food She sold him pasteles filled with green plantains sweet rice and vegetable fritters called alcapurrias “I remember him like an awesome person,” she said speaking on condition of anonymity because members of the military have been told not to discuss Lopez his daughter Angelique and his [family] in Puerto Rico This is really hard for all of us that shared with him here in Bliss.” Washington state landslide death toll now at 30 Hero of 2009 Ft. Hood rampage calls for arming soldiers on base Ft. Hood shooting: Gunman’s ‘unstable’ mental condition scrutinized Twitter: @James_Barragan james.barragan@latimes.com Paresh Dave was a Los Angeles-based tech reporter for the Los Angeles Times from May 2013 to September 2017. He focused on business issues surrounding local tech companies, the digital media industry, e-sports and video games and occasionally cybersecurity. Dave previously covered the criminal courts system, national tragedies and sports business. He graduated from the University of Southern California and grew up in San Diego. tried to stay positive as he surveyed his 150-acre coffee plantation clinging to the steep storm-scoured hillsides near Puerto Rico’s southern coast Hurricane Maria’s winds of more than 150 mph ripped away nearly all the leaves on the once-lush tropical landscape twisted tree trunks and exposed Roig’s shade-loving coffee plants to the sun “What took 35 years to build was lost in 10 hours,” Roig said looking at a valley of destruction that spread beyond the mountain peaks in the distance and across the entire island said his harvest was insured and vowed to recover But Puerto Rico’s agricultural sector was decimated by the storm and he and government officials agreed that a full recovery from Maria’s blow will require federal assistance Puerto Rico’s secretary of agriculture “All of that has been wiped out,” Flores Ortega said we had the worst natural disaster in 100 years on the island.” Flores Ortega estimated the island lost 80% of its crops. The poultry sector lost 90% of its production and more than 2 million of its 2.6 million birds along with numerous chicken coops and processing equipment Flooding covered 51,000 acres of coastal area Cows and other livestock floated away in the swollen rivers and ornamental and hydroponic facilities were damaged “There’s no plant that can survive 150-mph winds,” Flores Ortega said Federal agencies and the island’s Department of Agriculture are looking for ways to restore Puerto Rico’s $1 billion agricultural sector with grants and loans to help bury animals and to rebuild facilities and roads so farmers can go back to planting and production Jobs and income produced by food processors add another $3.5 billion to the island’s economy who owns La Cosecha Mia (My Harvest) produce market in Old San Juan said Puerto Rico’s farm industry was undergoing a renaissance before the hurricane with young people getting into the game to feed a demand for organic and local produce That sector has grown to the point it started to export produce “If the government doesn’t help rebuild I don’t know if we’re going to survive,” she said a region on the southeastern corner of the island that produces plantains farmer Aurelio Beltran drove through acres of downed plantain trees president of the Yabucoa farming cooperative said most of the valley's 3,000 to 4,000 acres of plantains were destroyed they'll still lose money because trees cost $6 to $7 to plant whose forefathers established his farm in 1876 as Spanish immigrants from Catalonia rode across his land in a rusty Jeep Renegade with his son several meal packages from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that had been distributed by the Puerto Rico National Guard to the municipality of Guayanilla moved his wife and three small children to a friend’s house after his home was wrecked in the storm Roig estimated that 3,500 pounds of coffee beans were lost when Maria raked his plants as well as 100,000 young plants in his now-devastated nursery Five of his eight houses for farmworkers were destroyed A municipal road crew passed by after clearing the road to the last isolated farm and a family of five who rode out the storm near the mountaintop What’s Roig going to do now? “We’re going to work,” he answered “Some of the plants will dry in the field without shade inspectors will come to examine the damage for an insurance claim Jesús Roig drove the Jeep to a compound of homes to check on neighbors He exchanged hugs with Sylvia Santiago who said her son was out looking for water a horse grazed and came close to see the visitors an injured dog lay on his side and panted in the heat the elder Roig stooped to inspect a coffee plant When he rubbed the yellow spots on the leaves they turned to a reddish powder that wafted in the mountain breeze The disease is now spreading faster," he said visible against a backdrop of hazy mountain peaks small leaves and bright red-orange flowers sprouted on some of the bare tree branches “This will be green before Christmas,” he said More: Puerto Rico health system on life support two weeks after Hurricane Maria More: Puerto Ricans say Trump's visit helps recovery but comments are too political More: "Wipe out" Puerto Rico debt? Hedge funds, residents at risk of losses More: Why Puerto Rico donations lag behind fundraising for Harvey, Irma victims Scott TaylorKenetech Energy Systems Inc.Houston The project involves construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal and desalination unit on the southern coast of Puerto Rico combined-cycle cogeneration power plant fueled mainly by LNG imported from the 400 MMcfd Atlantic LNG project on the island of Trinidad (OGJ Achieving financial close on a project of this size is always a time-consuming matter and one with a number of challenges These challenges were increased by the unique nature of both the project and its financing-no project financing had ever before been completed that combined an LNG terminal and power plant these same unique aspects also made the project one with strong underlying fundamentals and therefore attractive to the lead underwriters The project is currently owned on a 50-50 basis indirectly by Enron Corp subsidiary Enron International and Kenetech Corp EcoEléctrica will supply the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (Prepa) with much-needed clean energy produced by its 500 mw gas-fired cogeneration power plant The electricity produced by the power plant will be sold under a 22-year power purchase and operating agreement with Prepa currently under construction in the Pe?uelas/Guayanilla area on the south coast of Puerto Rico also will include an LNG import terminal and storage facility and a desalination plant The LNG import terminal and storage facility are being constructed to satisfy the needs of the power plant and provide the opportunity for importation of additional LNG into the island for existing power plants The desalination plant will supply all the water needed for the plant's operations Excess water production will be sold to Prepa for use in its generating plants and to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority for use in local markets will construct the project under a turnkey contract and another Enron affiliate will manage the operations of the project and act as fuel manager A Kenetech affiliate will serve as the administrative manager for the project The EcoEléctrica project marks many firsts for the island's electricity sector and for the world as well for the manner in which the financing has been achieved EcoEléctrica is the first private power generation project developed in Puerto Rico It will bring LNG and natural gas to the island for the first time and will offer the opportunity to convert many of Prepa's power plants to this safe and environmentally sound fuel Although the plant is anticipated to operate on LNG once the terminal facility and storage tanks are completed the plant has been designed to operate on three primary fuels: LNG The project has obtained 100% financing during construction The financing for this project is nonrecourse so payment of the loan will be made solely from the cash flow of the project Additional financing is provided for working capital and debt-service reserve requirements as well as for the issuance of letters of credit related to the fuel and power contracts Being the first to develop a project of this magnitude has its challenges It was not only necessary to ensure that all customary procedures were followed the use of LNG and the beneficial economics for the island of using an independent power producer had to be fully studied by the government of Puerto Rico it took over 19 months to acquire all necessary permits Prepa and the people of Puerto Rico by assuring compliance with the most stringent standards of both the commonwealth and the federal government Holding a long-term fuel agreement is typically a prerequisite for financing This presented a challenge to the project before it obtained the LNG contract with Cabot LNG Corp Enron was able to rely on its extensive experience in gas contracting and fuel hedging to provide the banks with a project model that assured financeable economics for the project although EcoEléctrica ultimately secured a long-term LNG contract the original structure allowed the project to close without one This enabled EcoEléctrica to negotiate in the market as if the project were already financed and to obtain an LNG contract structured more like a U.S pipeline gas supply contract than a typical LNG supply contract EcoEléctrica also contracted with ProCaribe an Enron-owned LPG facility adjacent to the EcoEléctrica site to import and provide a terminal for the LPG needed for the first 6-8 months of operations while the LNG terminal and storage tanks are being completed the ProCaribe facility will provide back-up LPG fuel storage for EcoEléctrica the previously mentioned multiple fuel capability attracted the lenders because in the unlikely event that LNG would become unavailable the project would still be able to satisfy its obligations by fueling with LPG or No The lenders also took into consideration Prepa's financial strength and its well-defined need for the power the plant will generate Prepa's assets and annual revenues totaled $4.2 billion and $1.6 billion Prepa's senior unsecured debt is rated BBB+ by Standard & Poor's and Baa1 by Moody's As the public corporation responsible for the generation and distribution of electricity on the island Prepa is committed to satisfying Puerto Rico's growing energy demand Prepa has unique concerns related to its nearly total reliance on imported fuel oil and its need for a relatively high reserve margin due to its inability to import power from external sources EcoEléctrica was selected as an ideal solution to Prepa's current production and diversification concerns The project will provide energy to Prepa below its current average cost of production The challenge is to look at new and innovative ways of making these projects feasible The confidence that ABN AMRO and Banque Paribas have shown for this project seems to be mirrored by the interest of financial institutions in the loan's syndication currently under way-early indications are very strong Puerto Rican’s woke up today, preparing to celebrate Three Kings Day and instead were shaken by yet another earthquake — this one #earthquake #damage from this morning in #PuertoRico https://t.co/Yf3zwVKnoE This is upsetting. The iconic Punta Ventana collapsed following this morning's 5.8 earthquake in Puerto Rico.https://t.co/vihyIFoniO Puerto Rican natural wonder, Punta Ventana, collapses amid 5.8 magnitude earthquake One of Puerto Rico’s iconic natural wonders — a soaring stone arch along the southern coast known as Punta Ventana or Window Point — collapsed early Monday as a 5.79 earthquake rattled the island said she went by the area Monday and was shocked to find the arch a place that she visited frequently as a child 5.8 magnitude earthquake hits Puerto Rico, the largest so far. Each day, more and more frequently occuring and increasing in intensity. This morning it destroyed La Ventana de Guayanilla. The 1918 San Fermín earthquake was a 7.1  magnitude scale. pic.twitter.com/tMCB83sWFW Puerto Rico earthquake sees Playa Ventana rock formation in Guayanilla destroyed by 5.8 magnitude quake https://t.co/C3IzNeQ50H According to El Nuevo Dia This is the beauty that was Punta Ventana: Punta Ventana is a natural rock “eye” that very few people get to see it is not too difficult to get to — and well worth the effort.The Punta Ventana rock formation is in the south western part of Puerto Rico and adjacent to the Guánica State Forest & Bioshpere Reserve (Bosque Estatal de Guánica) Are you serious! No structural damage then why are houses looking like this! #puertorico #earthquake pic.twitter.com/Ewjg1brG7J Praying for my people of #PuertoRico 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/5O7gKzHZfL Puerto Rico has been having back to back earthquakes since December 28th. This morning another one hit causing the most damage so far. Nobody knows when the earthquakes will stop. Pray for Puerto Rico. My island keeps getting destroyed and nobody talks about it. pic.twitter.com/vW150jGXLm So far — I have only seen one response from a Congressperson: I am closely monitoring the effects of the earthquake in Southwest #PuertoRico Glad to hear there have been no reports yet of casualties but will be watching to ensure residents and responders have what they need Not signed up for Daily Kos yet? Create a free account is part of a series of improvements at the Costa Bahía Hotel Convention Center & Casino in Guayanilla recently added 30 new suites to the property as part of its strategy to create a unique tourism destination in the island’s southern region is part of a series of improvements at the property “In times when the economy has been affected we must invest in projects that contribute to the growth of our island and how better that it be done by local companies,” said Eduardo Artau Costa Bahía Hotel’s strong commitment to the tourism industry in the southern region is evident,” he said “Our approach is to innovate as a hotel adding attractions and amenities for family and group markets The millionaire investment in the facilities adds an open garden area with interior patios terraces and a river-shaped fountain that connects to the pool area ideal for holding cocktails and outdoor receptions The owners also announced the upcoming opening of a 4D cinema with capacity for 45 people and a gym area with sauna for guests “We continue to strengthen our position as a unique hotel but throughout Puerto Rico,” said Jessica Emmanuelli our offer for the group segment and the family market will be a much more attractive for the customer.” “Ten of the new rooms are adapted to accommodate guests’ pets making Costa Bahía the only pet-friendly hotel in the southern area,” said the executive “The trend of tourists vacationing with their pets has been increasing more than 60 percent of hotels accept pets and we want to capture that market.” The inauguration of Costa Village increases the total number of guest rooms to 166 10 new jobs are added to the existing 100 employees and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" “Volunteering is more than an act of kindness; it is a vital service that strengthens our communities and society as a whole providing the infrastructure and opportunities that make service possible — training volunteers coordinating efforts and creating accessible pathways for people to contribute their time and skills.” News is my Business was born in November 2010 out of a desire to provide no-nonsense English-language news relevant to Puerto Rico’s business community SearchMissionaries, church groups in Puerto Rico on surviving earthquake, facing uncertaintyLog InSubscribeThe Christian Post To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Please click here to learn how You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience “We were all awakened at 4:30 a.m. by our walls and windows shaking,” Sue D’Anna, a member of the First Congregational Church of Hartland, Vermont, told Valley News “Our side of the island has not seen damage but the other side has seen significant destruction.” Todays earthquake 6.4 no power in Puerto Rico, and little cell signal, sorry friends I can’t retweet . This is how the Church of Guayanilla was after the earthquake. #TemblorPR#EarthquakePRpic.twitter.com/fuoUQZtAhL The United States Geological Survey said in a release Tuesday that the earthquake which has left at least one person on the island dead local time offshore of southwest Puerto Rico just a day after a magnitude 5.8 quake erupted from the same area hundreds of small earthquakes have occurred in the region The seismic activity began with a magnitude 4.7 earthquake late on Dec 28 and was followed by a magnitude 5.0 tremor just a few hours later the USGS said more than 400 magnitude 2+ earthquakes have occurred in the region Some 10 of them registered stronger than magnitude 4 About 25 volunteers from the First Congregational Church of Hartland arrived in Puerto Rico on Sunday to help with relief efforts from the devastation of Hurricane Maria which left thousands dead in September 2017 All of them were reported safe and they had planned to continue working to renovate a church in San Juan but officials concerned about more earthquakes and whether the building remains structurally safe has paused all their efforts for now we are unclear about how the remainder of our week and work plans will unfold,” D’Anna said Moment when part of the church of Guayanilla puerto Rico falls. #PuertoRicoEarthquake#PrayForPuertoRicohttps://t.co/AR95zcV5Dx Seventh-day Adventist leaders in Puerto Rico are also struggling to understand the series of earthquakes that have been plaguing the island and the uncertainty that hangs over the lives of many affected by the disaster “We have never as a country dealt with such earthquake in all my years,” Pastor Jose A. Rodríguez, president of the church in Puerto Rico, said in a field report from the SDA so there’s so much uncertainty for all of us here in Puerto Rico,” said Rodríguez who lives in the western part of the island Even though the earthquakes have been strongest in the south power hasn’t been restored and many are taking refuge in parks and arenas,” he said He explained that at least six members of his church have lost their homes as a result of the earthquake and leaders in the South Puerto Rico Conference are still assessing the needs of members Please pray for our partners in Puerto Rico. Everyone at the church is safe. We are working with our partners on a plan to help and will provide details when we have them. pic.twitter.com/GMzRYTFp5h Ponce Puerto Rico Stake President Franki Ruiz of the Latter-day Saints told Deseret News that he had expected a big quake due to frequent seismic activity on the island in the days before it hit “I woke up and told my wife and parents and kids that this was the [big] one and all my neighbors were also leaving their homes.” He added: “We have no reports of members being harmed or reports of their homes being seriously damaged … We are still trying to account for everyone — but so far churches and synagogues to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars “So many infrastructure problems still remain from past disasters,” she said A lot of things have been normalized; it’s not unusual to lose power or water Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone By making a recurring donation or a one-time donation of any amount you're helping to keep CP's articles free and accessible for everyone Hope you’ll give us another try and check out some other articles. 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Puerto Rico (Reuters) – Two strong aftershocks collapsed homes and cracked walls in Puerto Rico on Friday as the Caribbean island tried to recover from its worst earthquake in more than a century The first quake of magnitude 5.2 struck at 6:26 p.m followed by another of magnitude 4.8 about four hours later both centered on the island’s southwest coast The quakes were felt as far north as the capital San Juan and a spokesman for the town of Guayanilla told the El Nuevo Dia newspaper they caused more homes and buildings to collapse in the hard-hit community Shaken residents in the south said the aftershocks were the strongest since Tuesday’s 6.4 magnitude earthquake destroyed or damaged about 300 homes and knocked out power across the island Ada Cedeño was among more than 1,000 residents of Yauco around 4 miles (6.4 kms) west of Guayanilla fearful their homes would collapse after hundreds of quakes and tremors in the last 13 days she doesn’t want to go inside her house,” said Cedeño who with five other relatives set up camp beds among a sea of tents canopies and blue plastic tarpaulin sheets territory has been battered by hundreds of earthquakes and aftershocks since Dec causing structural damage to thousands of buildings and homes The island is trying to restore power to its nearly 3 million residents after Tuesday’s earthquake severely damaged its largest generating plant The island’s electricity authority reported 83 percent of customers had power by Friday evening adding that the 5.2 tremor had not caused blackouts Aftershocks are expected to continue for several more days following Tuesday’s major quake Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez and U.S Senator Rick Scott on Friday toured the Costa Sur plant in Guayanilla and spoke to U.S President Donald Trump by telephone about recovery efforts They said Trump pledged his support for Puerto Rico after having approved an emergency declaration earlier in the week to mobilize resources Scott said more than 6,000 people were in emergency shelters Vázquez on Thursday said she expected power to be fully restored by Monday The earthquakes have added to Puerto Rico’s woes as it recovers from Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017 Powered by PageSuite A moderate magnitude 4.4 earthquake hit near Puerto Rico island 2025 at 5.06 am local time (America/Puerto Rico GMT -4) The quake had a very shallow depth of 13 km (8 mi) and was felt widely in the area The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would Guayanilla Municipio has a high level of seismic activity Based on data from the past 25 years and our earthquake archive back to 1900 there are about 3,800 quakes on average per year in or near Guayanilla Municipio Guayanilla Municipio has had at least 5 quakes above magnitude 7 since 1900 which suggests that larger earthquakes of this size occur infrequently probably on average approximately every 23 to 27 years Guayanilla Municipio has about 350 quakes of magnitude 3 or higher per year (Mag 4+: 19.6 quakes per year) The last earthquake in Guayanilla Municipio occurred 6 hours ago and had a magnitude of 2.9: Mag. 2.9 earthquake 2 km N of Tierras Nuevas Poniente - Puerto Rico - writeAge(1746488509)A light magnitude 2.9 earthquake occurred in the North Atlantic Ocean near Puerto Rico island The quake had a moderate depth of 109 km (68 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so) Guayanilla Municipio has had 4 quakes of magnitude 3.0 or above and 21 quakes between 2.0 and 3.0 There were also 5 quakes below magnitude 2.0 which people don't normally feel The strongest earthquake in Guayanilla Municipio in the past 7 days had a magnitude of 3.3 and occurred 1 day 16 hours ago: Mag. 3.3 earthquake 24 km N of Tierras Nuevas Poniente - Puerto Rico - writeAge(1746364609)A light magnitude 3.3 earthquake occurred in the North Atlantic Ocean near Puerto Rico island The depth of the quake is unknown.The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so).