At Least 1 Dead After Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake in Puerto Rico Knocks Out Power

San Juan, Puerto Rico

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Puerto Rico at 4:24 a.m. local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake hit south of Indios, a barrio in Guayanilla at 4:24 a.m. local time, at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers).

One person has so far been reported dead from the quake.  A wall in his home collapsed on him while he was asleep.

The quake was followed by multiple aftershocks and preceded by a 5.6 magnitude quake 5 miles (8 kilometers) south of Tallaboa, a community in the barrio of Encarnación in Peñuela.

Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority said in a tweet that power is off on the island after the power grid’s self-protection mechanism shut down to protect power plants from damage.

“AEE’s plants have activated their self-protection mechanisms and have gone out of service,” the power company said.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)