Experts warn Puerto Rico not prepared for big earthquakes
By Danica Coto
[…]
Now, a flurry of earthquakes topped by a magnitude 6.4 temblor that killed one person and damaged hundreds of buildings has many accusing the [Puerto Rican] government of being caught unready again.
[…]
Lugo, a former emergency management director for Puerto Rico, told The Associated Press that the government didn’t activate its emergency command center until the day after the largest quake hit, breaking with protocol.
[…]
This drew comparisons to Hurricane Maria of 2017, which devastated the island and caused thousands of deaths. Critics said it caught the local and federal governments with limited supplies on an island with poorly maintained infrastructure and led to a delayed response stemming from a lack of communication and organization.
[…]
Just days after the natural disaster, emergency management Director Carlos Acevedo acknowledged to reporters that the government had yet to complete a plan that dictates protocol for when an earthquake hits the island.
[…]