Some 20,000 people have fled homes and are staying in shelters or sleeping rough in southwest Puerto Rico as quakes continue to jolt the US territory continues, a senior official said Friday
MONTEVIDEO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th January, 2020) Some 20,000 people have fled homes and are staying in shelters or sleeping rough in southwest Puerto Rico as quakes continue to jolt the US territory continues, a senior official said Friday.
Over 300 quakes strong enough to be felt have rocked the Caribbean island nation since December 28, according to the USGS scientific agency. A 6.4 magnitude tremor hit last week, killing one person. The government estimates the total damage at over $110 million.
"Around 8,200 people are living in government shelters ... even more are staying in unofficial ones. We are talking about a total of 20,000," Secretary of State Elmer Roman told reporters.
Some Puerto Ricans are suffering from psychological trauma and avoid staying indoors at night, he added. They go to shelters to receive emotional support, according to the minister.
Around 3,500 people on the island do not have electricity after the 6.4-mangitude quake knocked out the nation's largest Costa Sur power plant, which produced over a quarter of the island's power.
