The people of Puerto Rico have been experiencing devastating earthquakes with a magnitude of five or higher. However, there are adapted procedures and outside help to lessen the damage and restore the country. The newest earthquake struck about 9 miles from Guanica. Since Dec. 28, the island has had efforts at a full recovery from the previous disasters, but the chaos is not over yet. Puerto Rico is between the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates. Currently, the North American plate is sliding under the Caribbean plate, causing the build-up of energy until one side of the fault “pops.” The energy released is what causes the devastating factors of an earthquake. In the past month, there have been a total of 2,224 earthquakes ranging between different magnitudes. Sabrina Bates, PHS’s instructor for AP Environmental Science, states that “an earthquake that is a magnitude of 6 is ten times more powerful than a magnitude of 5, so each becomes more powerful.” These earthquakes have caused power outages, small landslides, cracked homes, destruction of businesses, as well as lack of clean water and electricity. People are losing their homes, and many have died from being trapped in buildings after an earthquake. 

Maria Coppolino, one of PHS’s world language instructors, has a story of her experience of an earthquake just inches away. “I was at my mom’s work, and I remember sitting at a desk. The rolling chair started to go back, and then my mom grabbed me, and we ran out of the building. We were all rushing down the stairs, and when we were in the streets, we could see the building swaying back and forth. It was really scary, and everyone thought something worse was going to happen because you never know.” She experienced this earthquake when she was five-years-old in Puerto Rico. She also has a family that still lives there, but due to the hazards, their communication at times is scarce. “For a little while, there was some uncertainty because all the phone lines were out, and they couldn’t communicate with them. My husband and I tried to reach them through Facebook and red cross so that we could see if they were safe and okay.” She considers this lack of communication as if “it was like trying to reach someone on a different planet.” Aside from destroying the economy, it also destroys the environment by contaminating the water. Sabrina Bates states, “landslides leads to surface water with a lot of silt and debris,” which can affect the growth of crops as well as the freshwater supply. 

Due to Puerto Rico’s frequent experiences with earthquakes, they have developed procedures and drills that may minimize the damage dealt by these disasters. Sabrina Bates states that “some areas have built buildings with more brittle structures that can withstand the shaking of the earth,” allowing them to stay intact. If you are inside a building and an event occurs, you should drop to the ground, cover and protect your neck, go under a sturdy piece of furniture, and go towards the interior of the house. If you are outside, it is best to stay away from buildings, powerlines, and trees. Stay alert at all times to avoid falling debris. If you are at the beach, go to high ground in case of a tsunami. You should always have an emergency kit containing water, nonperishable food, as well as a first aid kit. There are many organizations that you can join in to aid in Puerto Rico’s recovery. These include the Hispanic Federation, Direct Relief, American Red Cross, All Hands and Hearts, Americares, and Salvation Army. All of the organizations have been assisting Puerto Rico in natural disasters, like hurricanes Maria and the current earthquakes. You could donate supplies, clothing, food, and money to help in their recovery. They are still recovering from Hurricane Maria, making it more difficult for people to rebuild and get back to their normal lives. These organizations are small steps that everyone can take to help Puerto Rico.