Why Puerto Rico’s Tectonic Setting Makes Earthquakes Inevitable

«Puerto Rico just can’t catch a break. Since December 28th of 2019, the southwestern coast of the island has experienced nearly four thousand earthquakes of M2.5 or greater. Since being severely shaken and damaged in January by a stout M6.4, plus a handful of M5+ temblors, the seismic sequence had settled into a pattern of moderate magnitude quakes, rarely exceeding M4.0 And with the onset of the novel coronavirus, most of the island’s shaken citizens had returned to their homes, hoping the worst was over.»