Strong earthquake has devastated Puerto Rico, with homes collapsed, cars crashed and roads covered in rocks and debris – apparently the result of a mudslide.
Many island’s residents were left without power in the aftermath of the 5.8-magnitude tremor.
No tsunami alerts were issued and no casualties have been reported.
Today’s quake was reportedly one of the largest to date to hit the US territory.
According to one local resident, this was one of the strongest quakes to date since it started shaking on December 28.
Puerto Rico’s southern region has suffered a string of smaller quakes, ranging in magnitude from 4.7 to 5.1, since late December.
A popular tourist attraction – a stone arch, known as Punta Ventana, has collapsed after an earthquake rocked the island. Punta Ventana rock formation, situated along Puerto Rico’s southern coast, was very popular with Puerto Rico’s visitors.
The mayor of Guayanilla, Nelson Torres Yordán, confirmed that Punta Ventana, that was “one of the biggest tourism draws of Guayanilla” was in ruins.
Puerto Rico is still recovering from Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm that devastated parts of the Caribbean in September 2017. The hurricane is estimated to have killed 2,975 people and caused $100 billion in damage.
