According to the U.S. Geological Service (USGS), the earthquake struck at 6:32 a.m. (1032 GMT) just south of the island at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). There was no tsunami warning issued.
Another earthquake measuring magnitude 5.1 struck later Monday, at 10:51 a.m. (1451 GMT). These two quakes were the strongest quakes yet to hit the U.S. territory that has been shaking for the past week, reports CBS News.
Puerto Rico Director of Emergency Management Carlos Acevedo said there were no immediate reports of casualties, however, some homes sustained damages n Guanica, and a home collapsed in Guayanilla. There were also reports of rockslides along Route 2.
The USGS is warning of more tremors to come. “More earthquakes than usual (called aftershocks) will continue to occur near the mainshock,” the USGS said. “When there are more earthquakes, the chance of a large earthquake is greater which means that the chance of damage is greater.”
Here in Guánica with @CarlosGiusti1 where 2 more strong quakes hit as people yelled to get away from electrical wires and jumped up from their folding chairs from where they’ve been sitting since 6:40 am pic.twitter.com/0pDr999617
— Dánica Coto (@danicacoto) January 6, 2020
Residents in southern towns began posting images of damaged homes and boulders blocking roads as authorities urged the public to remain calm, according to CTV News Canada.
Angel Vazquez, emergency management director for the southern coastal city of Ponce, said “This is one of the strongest quakes to date since it started shaking on Dec. 28. It lasted a long time.”
BREAKING: Puerto Rico was just rattled by 6.3 magnitude earthquake that was centered off the northern coast of the island. @NWS_PTWC reports there is NO tsunami threat to Puerto Rico. pic.twitter.com/bRwVWaajSy
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) September 24, 2019
Dr. Sindia Alvarado, who lives in the southern coastal town of Penuelas, said she was petrified. “My entire family woke up screaming,” she said. “I thought the house was going to crack in half.”
Victor Huerfano, director of Puerto Rico’s Seismic Network, says the flurry of quakes began the night of Dec. 28, with quakes ranging in magnitude from 4.7 to 5.1. He explained that the shallow quakes were occurring along three faults in Puerto Rico’s southwest region: Lajas Valley, Montalva Point, and the Guayanilla Canyon.
He added that they are occurring as the North American plate and the Caribbean plate squeezes Puerto Rico, although it is unclear when they quakes will stop or if a bigger quake can be expected.
