Víctor Huérfano calls for us not to drop our guard: “The series continues to produce seismic activity”

The southwestern part of Puerto Rico has experienced more than 100 seismic events since 10:00 PM on Wednesday, including three earthquakes of magnitude 4.8, 4.69 and 4.1 recorded between noon and 2:12 pm today, Thursday.

For this reason the doctor Victor Orphan, director of the Puerto Rico seismic network, He urged citizens to review their contingency plans as he indicated that the earthquakes are highly likely to continue for the rest of the day, although perhaps with less intensity.

Be explained The new day what The tremors that started Wednesday evening are part of a renewed activation of the seismic event that has hit the southwest of the island since December 28, 2019., when an earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale was recorded over almost the entire island.

A magnitude 4.5 event occurred on January 2, 2020, and a magnitude 6.4 earthquake occurred on January 7, causing houses to collapse and causing extensive damage. Since then, the Southwest has practically not stopped shaking. There are two main faults that run across the island from west to east, as well as other minor faults.

“These series have these peculiarities, with periods of relative calm, and then events like the ones we have recorded today happen. We had another period of activity in the Ponce area in June and July, as we did in May. It is very likely that the seismic activity will continue for the rest of the day, ”Húerfano said by phone.

“It is in the same region and the same range that is active, which has not yet ended its activity. Of the more than a hundred recorded events, the largest was at magnitude 4.9 and felt on almost the entire island. At the moment we have not received any reports of damage, ”added Húerfano.

Incidentally, the director of the Seismic Network said it was pure coincidence that around December 28, 2019, another series of seismic events was recorded., the date when the seismic activity that continues to affect the island began.

“It is pure coincidence. This series has presented these anomalies. In May, June and July, in the summer months, we had seismic activity, and also in August, but not at this morning’s level. The entire geographic area of ​​southwestern Puerto Rico, from Rincón to Guayama-Salinas, is exposed to seismic movements, especially the cities of Lajas, Guánica, Yauco, Peñuelas, Guayanilla and even Ponce, the area where this activity is concentrated. ”, The expert explained.