What Puerto Rico tourists need to know in wake of earthquakes
Puerto Rico nonprofit tourism organization Discover Puerto Rico is urging tourists traveling to or within the territory to check with travel providers, hotels and local businesses in the wake of a series of earthquakes that have rattled the island.
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake rumbled across Puerto Rico on Tuesday, killing at least one person and knocking out power to virtually the entire island of more than 3 million.
An aftershock three hours later registered 6.0-magnitude. The temblors came one day after the island was shaken by a 5.8 magnitude quake that crumbled homes and triggered states of emergency across the island.
Tuesday’s quake was the largest in a series of quakes that have struck the U.S. territory in recent days and caused heavy damage in some areas.
“#DiscoverPuertoRico is in contact with the Puerto Rico Tourism Company to learn more about impact to tourism in the southern region,” Discover Puerto Rico wrote on its Twitter account Tuesday morning. While damage is still being assessed, it does not appear that areas outside the southern region of the Island were impacted.” The government-owned Puerto Rico Tourism Company referred USA TODAY to Discover Puerto Rico for further information.
Discover Puerto Rico noted that Luis Muñoz MarÃn International Airport, the main airport on the island; the San Juan Cruise Port; the Ponce Cruise Port and Airport; the Puerto Rico Convention Center; as well as hotels and attractions in northern Puerto Rico were not directly affected.
There is no tsunami threat to Puerto Rico right now, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, though Discover Puerto Rico notes ferry service to Vieques and Culebra is currently suspended.
Contributing: John Bacon and Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY; Associated Press
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