Many Puerto Ricans got a scary wake-up on call on Monday: a pretty major earthquake that hit 5.8 on the Richter scale.
The temblor, one of the strongest in years, hit the southwest region at 6:32 a.m., said Elizabeth Vanacor, a seismologist with Puerto Rico's Seismic Network. She said aftershocks are "highly likely" and that citizens should remain on high alert.
Earthquakes are a "daily" occurrence in Puerto Rico, Vanacor said. In 2018, roughly 4,000 were recorded. In fact, the island had been experiencing a series of smaller quakes since Dec. 28.
The U.S. territory is located between two tectonic plates: the North American plate and Caribbean plate.
"They're a part of life as we live in plate-boundary zone similar to Japan, New Zealand and Alaska," the weather expert said. "Most happen offshore and most of them aren't felt."
Monday's intensity was felt. Residents saw power outages, cracked roads and widespread building damage.
Vanacor's advice for residents: "First of all, keep calm. That's the most important thing. If you feel an aftershock coming on, drop, cover and hold on. That's the best way to protect yourself."
If your home has been damaged, don't enter until it has been cleared by an engineer, she added, and pay attention to official sources such as The National Weather Service or USGS, the United States Geological Survey.
No tsunami watch or advisory is in effect.
The last major quake recorded in Puerto Rico was in 2014, with a magnitude of 6.4.
The 1918 San Fermin earthquake, off the northwest coast, was the most massive recorded there. The natural disaster measured 7.1, unleashing a tsumani; 116 people died.
"PR is an active seismic zone, so earthquakes will occur," Vanacor said.
