CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Since Dec. 28, Puerto Rico’s been hit with nearly 1,300 earthquakes.
Puerto Rico is getting help from the federal government following the series of devasting earthquakes. President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration that eventually is expected to open up funds. At the same time, Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine is sending in the Ohio National Guard.
As shocks continue to rip through the southern region of the U.S. Territory, thousands of people are living outside of their destroyed homes.
"Right now, people don’t want to sleep in their houses because they don’t feel safe,” said Anamar Naish.
Naish was born in Puerto Rico but now calls Cincinnati home. She still has lots of family there. Naish says just last week during a Facetime call with her mother, the ground began shaking.
"I wish they didn’t have to deal with those kind of issues that nobody can control, and I just hope and pray nothing happens to them and that no other lives are lost because there have been deaths,” said Naish.
In recent years, the island has been beaten by one natural disaster after another. In 2017, two historic hurricanes, Maria and Irma, tore through Puerto Rico. Now, a series of quakes threatens lives. During all of this, Naish and her team with Cincinnati for PR continue to help money and supplies.
“We have spent about $4,000. We bought $1,500 from donations at a major retailer. Those donations were distributed in Penuelas, which is one of the municipalities that is affected by the earthquakes,” said Naish.
It’s a little easier to help this time. After the hurricanes, nothing was open for business in Puerto Rico and all donations had to be shipped. Now, Naish says they’re saving on transportation costs and boosting the economy by buying everything in Puerto Rico.
"This next weekend we will be distributing in Guanica, another municipality affected by the earthquakes and so forth. We will be hitting all of those seven that have been greatly affected by the earthquakes,” said Naish.
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