6.5 quake strikes Puerto Rico amid heavy seismic activity
A strong earthquake hit off the south of Puerto Rico early Tuesday morning, the US Geological Survey said. The shallow 6.5 magnitude quake struck 13.6 kilometers (8.5 miles) south of the city of Ponce, USGS said, revising down its initial reading of 6.6.
- World
- AP
- Published Date: 01:13 | 07 January 2020
- Modified Date: 01:13 | 07 January 2020
A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico before dawn on Tuesday, the largest in a series of quakes that have struck the U.S. territory in recent days and caused heavy damage in some areas.
A tsunami alert was issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority also reported an island-wide power outage.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit just south of the island at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. It initially gave the magnitude as 6.6 but later adjusted it.
There were no immediate report of injuries or damage but the power outage made it hard to obtain information.
A 5.8-magnitude quake that struck early Monday morning collapsed five homes in the southwest coastal town of Guanica and heavily damaged dozens of others. It also caused small landslides and power outages.
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