Local Puerto Rican group revives island assistance efforts in wake of quakes

A Puerto Rican flag placed in the rubble outside Ely Mer Mar hardware store in Puerto Rico, where store owners and family were helping to remove supplies after an earthquake in Guanica. The 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico before dawn Tuesday, killing one man, injuring others and collapsing buildings in the southern part of the island. | Carlos Giusti/Associated Press

A local nonprofit has jumped into action following a series of escalating earthquakes in Puerto Rico.

The Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago announced it is reactivating a fundraising campaign it used to send aid to the island following devastating hurricanes more than two years ago.

“We are taking our time to assess the damages caused by the earthquakes and reach out to our trusted contacts who are on the ground there,” said Cristina Pacione-Zayas, co-chair of the Agenda. “We need to have support from the diaspora.”

Pacione-Zayas said the 3R’s for Puerto Rico: Rescue Relief Rebuild fundraising effort is being relaunched to minimize long-term earthquake damage.

The Agenda’s 3R’s for Puerto Rico: Rescue Relief Rebuild fundraising campaign raised nearly $500,000 in the wake of Hurricane Maria with the aid being distributed in the forms of micro-grants to 40 municipalities and non-profit groups in Puerto Rico.

Maria — strongest to hit Puerto Rico in more than 80 years — razed its electrical grid while toppled trees blocked roads and bridges.

Many Puerto Ricans relocated to Chicago because of the damage.

The island has been slow to recover, and the onslaught of quakes left the Chicago’s Puerto Rican community on edge.

The Adripina Seda public school stands partially collapsed after an earthquake struck Guanica, Puerto Rico on Tuesday.

Since Dec. 31, more than 950 quakes and aftershocks have been recorded, with most too weak to feel, according to U.S. Geological Survey.

On Tuesday, a 6.4-magnitude quake — strongest yet — killed one person, injured nine and knocked out power across the island. As of Wednesday afternoon, half a million Puerto Ricans were without power; more than 250,000 remain without water.

More tremors are expected; the Geological Survey said there’s a 22% chance of one at magnitude-6 or stronger.

Pacione-Zayas said money raised will be disbursed as it was after Maria; The nonprofit will report donations to municipalities on their website and through social media as they happen.

“We need a long-term strategy with what we know about climate change and how its affecting Puerto Rico,” Pacione-Zayas said.

The Agenda asks that all donations go through their website.

Contributing: Associated Press

Manny Ramos is a corps member of Report for America, a not-for-profit journalism program that aims to bolster Sun-Times coverage of Chicago’s South Side and West Side.