Updated Jan. 7, 2020 2:54 PM
After many tremors in the past week, and a 5.8 earthquake on Monday, a second, more powerful and deadly 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck just off the southern coast of Puerto Rico on Tuesday morning.
Following what the U.S. Geological Survey reported was a 6.4 quake that struck at 4:24 a.m., local time, reports of injuries and heavy building damage immediately rolled in. The epicenter of the quake, initially rated a 6.5, occurred about 5 miles south of the community of Indios.
Eight individuals were injured and at least one fatality has been confirmed in the city of Ponce, according to the city's Mayor Mayita Meléndez and Telemundo Puerto Rico.
According to the Associated Press, Rey Gonzalez confirmed that his father was killed on Tuesday morning when a wall in his home collapsed. The 73-year-old Nelson Martinez was disabled, Gonzalez said.
“I’ve never been so scared in my life,” said 70-year-old Ponce resident Nelson Rivera, according to the AP. “I didn’t think we would get out. I said: ‘We’ll be buried here.’”
Reynaldo Gonzalez, center, nephew of 73 year-old Nelson Martinez, who died after a wall collapsed during an earthquake, waits with family members for Martinez's body to be removed in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
On Twitter, Puerto Rico’s power authority reported that one of the island's main power plants had been damaged by the quake, triggering a islandwide power outage. Officials expect power to be restored to the island later Tuesday. In the meantime, Puerto Rico’s main airport was able to continue operating normally by way of generator power.
Lizzie Litzow, a spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), shared a statement on Twitter saying Active FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor has been in constant communication with Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vazquez.
FEMA said it is considering Vasquez's request for an emergency declaration.
"FEMA personnel in Puerto Rico are working closely with Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau and we have deployed two Incident Management Assistance Teams to the island," the statement said.
On Tuesday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Twitter that a team from the New York Power Authority would be heading to Puerto Rico to assist with disaster response.
"They are on the ground working to stabilize the island's power systems and prevent outages," Cuomo said. "NY will always support our brothers and sisters in PuertoRico during difficult times."
A 5.8 magnitude aftershock occurred at 6:18 a.m., local time, following the initial peak. The quake struck about 3 miles (5 kilometers) south-southwest of the town of Tallaboa, along the southern shores of Puerto Rico.
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The Immaculate Concepcion Catholic church lies in ruins after an overnight earthquake in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico before dawn on Tuesday, killing one man, injuring others and collapsing buildings in the southern part of the island. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)
The United States National Tsunami Warning Center tweeted that a tsunami was not expected for the U.S. Atlantic or Gulf coasts. While a tsunami alert was initially made by the Puerto Rico Seismic Network, the alert was later discontinued according to the director.
Damage reports have ranged from collapsed buildings to cracked and raised roadways.
Aftershocks from the 6.4 magnitude quake could be felt throughout the region. (Per USGS)
This comes less than 24 hours after a powerful 5.8 quake struck just south of the island early Monday morning.
Shaking was felt across much of the island from Monday's temblor, including light shaking in the capital of San Juan. The epicenter was located about 9 miles (14 km) from Indios, located in the municipality of Guayanilla.
The Associated Press reported that Monday's earthquake triggered small landslides, caused the foundations in homes to crack and resulted in numerous power outages.
Atendido el derrumbe en la PR-335 en Guayanilla, ocasionado por el temblor de esta mañana. Agradecemos la gestión del @munguayanilla para habilitar nuevamente dicha vía. @wandavazquezg @fortalezapr @contreraspr
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Large boulders that toppled off hillsides were reportedly blocking major thoroughfares, including the highway near the town of Guanica that heads towards San Juan, the AP reported.
Jose Francisco Benitez, an attorney staying at a hotel in Guanica, told the AP that people panicked as they tried to leave in their cars only to realize they were stuck due to the road being blocked.
"The weather will be good for any cleanup efforts through the middle of the week with nothing more than a brief shower and occasional gusty wind," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Eric Leister.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story referred to Puerto Rico as a country and described nationwide power outages. The island is a United States territory. This story has been updated.
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