SAN JUAN, PR. (THECOUNT) — A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico before dawn on Tuesday, and was followed three hours later by an aftershock measuring 6.0. The larger quakes come as dozens of shakers struck the area over the last few days.
At least eight people were reportedly injured in the city of Ponce, near the epicenter of the quake, Mayor Mayita Meléndez.
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They are the largest in a series of quakes that have struck the U.S. territory in recent days and caused heavy damage in some areas, reports NewsChannel5.
Puerto Rico’s power authority said on Twitter that one of the country’s main power plants, which sits near the epicenter, had been damaged, but officials expect to restore power to the island later Tuesday.
A 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook Puerto Ricans Monday morning in another strong quake to hit the U.S. territory over the past week.
The shaker struck just south of the island at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometers (over 6 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Service.
Power outages were reported in some parts of Puerto Rico following the quake, Angel Vazquez, the emergency management director for the southern coastal city of Ponce, reports ABC7.
“This is one of the strongest quakes to date since it started shaking on Dec. 28,” he said. “It lasted a long time.”
There was no tsunami threat, officials said.
DEVELOPING::
Geo quick facts: Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island and unincorporated U.S. territory with a landscape of mountains, waterfalls and the El Yunque tropical rainforest. In San Juan, the capital and largest city, the Isla Verde area is known for its hotel strip, beach bars and casinos. Its Old San Juan neighborhood features colorful Spanish colonial buildings and El Morro and La Fortaleza, massive, centuries-old fortresses – wikipedia.