Schools evacuated as a precaution after 4.84-magnitude tremor

Although no damage had been reported as a result of an earthquake measuring 4.84 on the Richter scale whose epicenter was in Guánica, the island Education Department said visual inspections would be carried out in educational facilities to ensure their integrity.

By The Star Staff

After a magnitude 4.84 earthquake was recorded on Monday morning with an epicenter in the southern region of Puerto Rico, specifically in Guánica, the island Department of Education announced that evacuations were carried out in some schools as a preventive measure.

Although no damage had been reported as a result of the earthquake, the Education Department indicated that visual inspections would be carried out in educational facilities to ensure their integrity. The agency did not specify at which schools the inspections would be carried out. Once they were completed, the class schedule would resume as agreed with the Emergency Management and Disaster Administration Bureau (NMEAD by its Spanish acronym), the Education Department said.

“The NMEAD team is evaluating the region where the earthquake occurred this morning and I am in communication with [NMEAD] commissioner Nino Correa,” Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia said on his account in the social network X (formerly Twitter). “We are vigilant and so far no damage has been reported. As always, we will provide the necessary support to the municipalities to respond to any situation.”

The quake, which took place at 8:58 a.m., had a depth of 32 kilometers. The geographical coordinates of the epicenter are 18.01 latitude and -66.828 longitude.

Citizens are advised to stay informed and follow the recommendations of the competent authorities in case of aftershocks.