Puerto Rico

GUANICA, Puerto Rico (AP) — A 5.8 magnitude quake hit Puerto Rico before dawn Monday, unleashing small landslides, causing power outages and collapsing some homes, as well as a famed tourist attraction. It was one of the strongest quakes yet in a series that have hit the U.S. territory over the past week.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A group of U.S.-based scientists is rushing to document indigenous sites along Puerto Rico’s coast dating back a couple of thousand years before rising sea levels linked to climate change destroy a large chunk of the island’s heritage that is still being discovered.

Scientists hope to use the 3D images they’ve taken so far to also help identify which historic sites are most vulnerable to hurricanes, erosion and other dangers before it’s too late to save the island’s patrimony.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck near Puerto Rico late Monday, rousing and scaring many from their sleep in the U.S. territory.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck 49 miles (79 kilometers) off the island’s northwest coast at a shallow depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers). Three aftershocks, of magnitude 4.7 and 4.6, hit within less than an hour in the same region at the same depth.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Dorian caused limited damage in the northern Caribbean as it left the region Wednesday night, setting its sights on the U.S. mainland as it threatened to grow into a dangerous Category 3 storm.

Power outages and flooding were reported across the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra after Dorian hit St. Thomas as a Category 1 storm.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Ricans braced for more political turmoil Thursday as the third governor in a week took charge of this U.S. territory still divided over who should lead the economically struggling island of 3.2 million people.

The swearing in of Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez as governor was expected to spur renewed protests since many Puerto Ricans see her as an extension of Ricardo Rosselló, who resigned the governorship after weeks of street demonstrations demanding his removal.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló resigned Friday as promised, clearing the way for veteran politician Pedro Pierluisi to be sworn in as his replacement, a move that threw the U.S. territory into a period of fresh political uncertainty.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico’s political crisis appeared to deepen on Wednesday as the island’s outgoing governor and legislators — including those from his own party — clashed over who should be the next leader of a U.S. territory unbalanced by massive protests.

The upheaval has raised fears that a government in chaos will have trouble negotiating for more federal funding for recovery from Hurricane Maria and coping with the island’s grave economic woes.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The woman who is supposed to replace Puerto Rico’s embattled governor announced Sunday that she doesn’t want the job as the U.S. territory reels from political crisis.

Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez said in a Twitter post that she hopes Gov. Ricardo Rosselló will appoint a secretary of state before resigning Aug. 2 as planned.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The woman set to become Puerto Rico’s next governor has been criticized for her reluctance to confront problems in Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s administration during her nearly two years as the territory’s top law enforcement official.

That criticism is likely to complicate Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez’s ability to complete Rosselló’s term in the face of widespread public anger toward the departing governor and some of his male aides over a leaked online chat in which they mocked their constituents and made insulting remarks about women.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said late Wednesday that he will resign Aug. 2 after nearly two weeks of furious protests and political upheaval touched off by a leak of crude and insulting chat messages between him and his top advisers.

A crowd of demonstrators outside the governor’s mansion in Old San Juan erupted into cheers and singing after his announcement on Facebook just before midnight

Addressing the protests, Rosselló said, “The demands have been overwhelming and I’ve received them with highest degree of humility.”