WATERBURY, Conn. — Connecticut has become a second home to Puerto Rican families after multiple earthquakes have wreaked havoc on the island.
Seismic activity began in late December when a 6.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded, followed by several aftershocks.
The last few week cities like Hartford, New Haven, and Waterbury have been reporting an influx of Puerto Rican families seeking shelter. The families tell FOX61 they’ve left everything behind because they felt their lives were in danger.
One of those families is Maria Morales and her parents who are from Guayanilla, Puerto Rico.
“We left everything after the earthquake. That day at 4:30 in the morning we never came back to the house,” says Morales.
Morales and her family are staying with relatives in Waterbury The same is true for Zulmary Garcia Caraballo. She and her brother are also from the Southern Coast of the island. Zulmary says every night she feared the earthquakes would cause her house to collapse on top of her. The walls of her home are covered in cracks and the tiles of her bathroom flew off and shattered into pieces.
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The families say coming to the mainland has given them peace of mind, but leaving their old life to start a brand new one has been challenging.
“I was taking my medical board examinations in Puerto Rico to be a general practitioner there...now I have to change my plans...and see what the future brings for me here,” says Morales.
The families add that the islands history of corruption has led to distrust in the government, especially after a warehouse filled with supplied meant for Hurricane Maria victims was recently discovered. This situation leaving many Puerto Ricans feeling hopeless and defeated.
“What I really worry about is the mental health. People having a lot of anxiety and depression,” says Morales.
The Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury has been helping these families adjust to their new life as well as providing them with any items they need. The coalition is also looking to raise $25,000 to help families impacted by the earthquakes, to donate click here.