The mental stress of experiencing earthquake after earthquake in Puerto Rico is taking a toll on its citizens.
'Traumatized' Puerto Ricans rocked by more strong quakes
YAUCO, Puerto Rico, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Two strong aftershocks collapsed homes and cracked walls in Puerto Rico on Friday as the Caribbean island tried to recover from its worst earthquake in more than a century.The first quake of magnitude 5.2 struck at 6:26 p.m. (5:26 p.m. EST), followed by another of magnitude 4.8 about four hours later, both centered on the island's southwest coast, the U.S. Geological Service (USGS) said.
The quakes were felt as far north as the capital San Juan, and a spokesman for the town of Guayanilla told the El Nuevo Dia newspaper they caused more homes and buildings to collapse in the hard-hit community. Shaken residents in the south said the aftershocks were the strongest since Tuesday's 6.4 magnitude earthquake, which killed at least one person, destroyed or damaged about 300 homes and knocked out power across the island.
Ada Cedeño was among more than 1,000 residents of Yauco, around 4 miles (6.4 kms) west of Guayanilla, who spent the night in a stadium, fearful their homes would collapse after hundreds of quakes and tremors in the last 13 days."My nerves are on edge, we're traumatized. I have a sister who is crying, she doesn't want to go inside her house," said Cedeño, 69, who with five other relatives set up camp beds among a sea of tents, canopies and blue plastic tarpaulin sheets.
Anthropologist Yarimar Bonilla has been reporting via Twitter from the island:
Her complete thread:
I’ve been in Puerto Rico a few days, have only tweeted when I’m ready to share something and thought it through. I’ve interviewed dozens of ppl abt how they are managing the quakes. But it wasn’t until I felt tonight’s 5.2 quake that I personally witnessed the ineffable fear…
They told me they’re nervous. They’ve talked abt the unpredictability. I’ve seen the bags under their eyes and kids who wear sneakers to bed so they’re ready to run. I’ve visited several barrio encampments and seen the menacing cracks but now I understand the emotional toll …
I watched a young mother (21) nearly have a heart attack from the tension she bears. I saw a woman, who suffers from depression & anxiety, collapse to the ground in panic. Another grabbed me to cry and wail b/c I was the closet thing to her when the ground shook.…
The mental and emotional health of the thousand sleeping outside in informal camps in their barrios and those sleeping on Govt-provided cots in official encampments, is deteriorating rapidly. They aren’t sleeping, some don’t eat and when u ask them how long they will do this…
The answer is they have no idea. They are waiting/expecting the worse & the lack of hope is giving way to desperation. The temblors are constant. Most are 3s and 4s and barely noticeable but these folks are hypersensitive. Tonight’s 5-er is exactly what they fear…
Maria was bad.
But what I am seeing — even with the helpers & volunteers responding — is something different and acutely alarming, difficult to understand unless you live it. I get it now. As I’m sure my colleagues out here already do and can express more cogently than I.
Puerto Rico’s earthquakes pile up fresh challenges for the U.S. territory
The quake-shaken family set up camp outside their home along the southern coast of Puerto Rico with no intention of going back inside anytime soon despite the muggy weather and occasional downpour.
A canopy shielded Marianela González Cintrón, who is battling pelvic cancer, from the relentless sun as she lay in a lawn chair under a blanket near a cluster of tents. Her family had opted for the outdoors after a magnitude 6.4 earthquake, the strongest to hit the Caribbean island in more than a century, this week frightened them into thinking they would not escape if another temblor struck.
“The house was dancing,” said Doris Cintrón, González Cintrón’s mother.
How you can help:
Demonstrations are planned for Philadelphia and New York City on Wednesday, January 15 :
Please help keep the situation in Puerto Rico in front of the public here on the mainland, by sharing on social media.
Contact your elected officials —to find out what they are doing to help.
Thank you.