Víctor Huérfano calls for our vigilance: “The sequence continues to produce seismic activity”

Southwest Puerto Rico has experienced more than 100 seismic events since 10 p.m. Wednesday. including three earthquakes of magnitude 4.8, 4.69 and 4.1 recorded between noon and 2:12 p.m. today, Thursday.

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

Orphan explained The new day what the The tremors that began on Wednesday night are part of a re-energization of the seismic event that affected the southwestern part of the island since December 28, 2019, when a magnitude 4.7 earthquake shook almost the entire island.

On January 2, 2020, a magnitude 4.5 event occurred, and on January 7, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake collapsed the houses and caused significant damage. Since then, the southwest has practically not stopped shaking. There are two main defects that cross the island from west to east, as well as other minor defects.

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

“It is in the same region and the same sequence that is active, which has not finished its activity yet. Of the more than one hundred events recorded, the largest was the magnitude 4.9 and felt in almost the entire island. We have not received any reports of damage at this time, “Húerfano added.

By the way, the director of the Seismic Network said that there is a pure chance that a series of seismic events will be recorded again around December 28, 2019., the date on which the seismic activity that continues to affect the island began.

“It is pure coincidence. This sequence presented these anomalies. In May, June and July, in the summer months, we had seismic activity and also in August, but not at the level we experienced this morning. The entire geographical 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, which is the area where this activity is concentrated. “, The expert explained.

Orphan, however, I emphasize that, due to the re-energization of the telluric sequence, the population must remain attentive to the Seismic Network and other official channels.

“I echo the recommendations of Office for Emergency Management and Disaster Management (Nmead). Where so much seismic activity has occurred, as in southwestern Puerto Rico, and where so many structures have presented problems at different levels, any structure that is compromised is unlikely to be inhabited. Why? Because we have already seen that the sequence continues to produce seismic activity and any event of this nature could cause additional damage. At least we want people to be trapped in structures, “Huérfano said.

“I know that we are in the middle of Christmas, that we have activities and that, within the limits of the pandemic, we want to celebrate and be with our families. Our exhortation is to remain calm; We know that it is a very difficult situation and we understand it, but we must have emergency plans, to have our backpacks ready for any eventuality “, Huérfano underlined.

“There is no way to say that this heralds a major event or whether we will return to relative silence. It is very difficult to argue about any of the scenarios, because there is no way to know in detail. In this uncertainty, it is best to continue with Christmas Eve, but carefully and prepared, keeping in mind what we will do in case of any need or urgency.“, Stressed the director of the Seismic Network.