UPDATE 1/19/20: As thousands of people are still homeless, living in shelters, there’s outrage over the discovery of aid sitting unused in a warehouse – since Hurricane Maria struck in 2017.
Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced fired, Carlos Acevedo, the island’s emergency management director on Saturday and ordered an investigation into the mishandling of emergency supplies.
“There are thousands of people who have made sacrifices to help those in the south, and it is unforgivable that resources were kept in the warehouse.”
Wanda Vázquez Garced, Governor, Puerto Rico
Another earthquake strikes Puerto Rico; Connecticut asked to help
UPDATE 1/14/20: Following the earthquakes, aftershocks that rocked Puerto Rico last week, Connecticut educators are coming to the aid of the hundreds of victims on the island.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and interim Superintendent of Schools Iline Tracey said the city and school district are prepared to accept students and families who have been affected by the earthquake.
SUGGESTION: Connecticut schools ready to accept Puerto Rican students displaced by earthquakes
UPDATE 1/11/20: Puerto Rico endured another aftershock on Friday, with a 5.2 magnitude earthquake striking the island two and a half miles from Indios on the southern coast, according to Reuters.
“We will serve as collection center in this effort,” Sammy Vega, president of the Connecticut Institute for Community Development and the Puerto Rican Parade (CICD) said. Vega’s organization has begun a website to help collect funds.
For more information about the situation with family and friends in Puerto Rico, you can dial 211.
Fear of Quakes Rattling Island
1/8/20
Puerto Ricans from Connecticut returning from the island after the first earthquake expressing concern, “I got kind of scared today you know cause I want to come back home,” Hartford resident Priscilla Diaz told FOX 61.
Guánica was hit with a 5.9 magnitude earthquake on Monday, and then a stronger a 6.4-magnitude quake near Ponce early Tuesday morning. The earthquakes and several strong aftershocks collapsed buildings, is blamed for one death and at least eight injured people.
Puerto Ricans in Connecticut and the island took to social media expressing concern over more quakes and helping a community still dealing with the devastation left by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency, making $130 million in emergency aid funding available, and activating the National Guard in the US territory. The island’s electricity authority reported the initial quake forced an automatic shutdown of the power grid.
