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BOSTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Massachusetts Salvation Army is deploying a small disaster relief team to Puerto Rico in response to a string of powerful earthquakes in recent days.
Salvation Army Regional Emergency Disaster Services Director Chris Ferrand told WBZ NewsRadio's Kim Tunnicliffe that he and his veteran team will be assessing the damage and determining how to get life-saving essentials to those in need.
"We're doing boots on the ground work, meeting with local city officials, meeting with other response agencies, determining what are the shelter needs, the water needs," Ferrand said. "How do we just keep people safe in this early critical phase?"
Ferrand said this is his sixth deployment to the region in recent years.
"Some folks just rebuilt their homes from [Hurricane] Maria, and now they've lost it again," Ferrand said. "It breaks your heart, and that's why I want to go, to help support in any way I can. You do whatever you can, as much as you can."
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that the region has experienced more than 950 earthquakes and aftershocks since New Years Eve, most of them too small to feel.
The largest was a 6.4 magnitude quake which struck early Tuesday, leaving at least one person dead, nine people injured, and about a half a million people without electricity.
Puerto Rico's Governor Wanda Vazquez has declared a state of emergency, and said authorities expect power to be restored to most of the island within 48 hours.
WBZ NewsRadio's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports
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