SAN DIEGO — For the third time in less than a week, the island of Puerto Rico was hit by a major earthquake Saturday morning measuring 5.9 in magnitude. News 8’s Teresa Sardina spoke with a San Diego family currently living in Puerto Rico after the first earthquake struck and checked in with them after the latest quake.
The Merrill family raced out of their first-floor apartment in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Saturday morning after feeling the impact of the earthquake. It was the island's third big earthquake that rocked the southern coast in one week.
Samantha and Bryson Merrill said they are trying to stock up on much as they can.
A police escort was given to the Merrills's church group which was assisting Guanica, the town that has been hit the hardest, providing care packages and supplies for those who are not in their homes.
A third of the island is still without power and the American Red Cross has come in to help. The local headquarters for the agency says there has been a spike of interest for earthquake preparedness.
The quakes are a reminder of how our community needs to prepare for an emergency whether it's a wildfire of earthquake and to be ready at home or at any time.
Samantha said, being from San Diego, she thinks about what it would be like if we had a big earthquake.
"You never know when a disaster is going to strike you need to be prepared and don't put it off,” she said.