As the infrastructure is nearly failing, receiving a D- from the American Society of Civil Engineers in November 2019, Puerto Rico was not prepared for the devastation of over 20 earthquakes.
This image here represents all of the earthquakes this week. If you click on the image it will take you to the interactive map made by the United States Geological Survey, USGS. This map displays earthquakes around the world and help define them.
Looking at this past week, Puerto Rico has been hit three times by extremely dangerous and powerful ruptures. Starting on Tuesday a 6.4 magnitude quake, followed by a 5.2 magnitude aftershock struck on Friday afternoon, and then a 5.9 magnitude quake Saturday morning.
Now what does this all mean?
What are quakes and aftershocks?
Quakes, or earthquakes, are the main ruptured of energy in which the tectonic plates are grinding, or rubbing against each other causing the built-up pressure to release.
Aftershocks are caused when the plates continue to move, trying to find new equilibrium with each other, these cause smaller magnitude of damage.
Aftershocks are the product of the initial quake, if they have a higher magnitude, they become the quake, and the shock before them is renamed a foreshock.
What is magnitude?
“The Richter magnitude of an earthquake is determined from the logarithm of the amplitude of waves recorded by seismographs. Adjustments are included for the variation in the distance between the various seismographs and the epicenter of the earthquakes,” according to the USGS.
Meaning that the magnitude of the earthquake determines the overall damage, the larger the shock of the waves, the bigger the damage.
Keeping these terms in mind, the overall damage and havoc caused is unnerving.
“Disaster research experts estimate that the earthquakes could cost the island up to $3.1 billion, including damage to private and public property as well as economic losses from tourism,” stated by a Grist.org article, Puerto Rico wasn’t ready for earthquakes — especially not after Hurricane Maria.
Because of the constant damage to the island in the last week, the quakes have displaced an estimated 2,000 people, according to the humanitarian organization Direct Relief.
Not only are buildings and homes being destroyed, but nature itself is effected. Following the a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the island on Monday, the arch along the southern coast in the town of Guayanilla, known as Punta Ventana, collapsed.
The island is in a state of emergency, with one dead. Relief efforts are being made by the National Guard. President Trump announced a national emergency, allowing funding to be sent to the territory.
Comentários