Puerto Rico Earthquakes

​​​​​​Puerto Rico Location Page 

Additional Resources

State and Local Referral List

National Referral List

• Free legal aid available to eligible Puerto Rico residents affected by the earthquakes that began in December. Click here for more information.
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available for individuals who lost their jobs because of the earthquakes in southwest Puerto Rico and live or work in any of the 25 municipalities FEMA approved for assistance may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. Click here for more information.
• As of February 6, 2020: Nine additional municipalities that were affected by the earthquakes in southwest Puerto Rico have been designated as eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. At the request of the Government of Puerto Rico, FEMA extended eligibility for Individual Assistance to Arecibo, Ciales, Hormigueros, Juana Díaz, Las Marías, Mayagüez, Morovis, Orocovis and Sabana Grande under the January 16 presidential disaster declaration.
• As of March 29, 2021: The municipality of Rincón was designated as eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. Survivors have until May 24, 2021 to apply for assistance.

By The Numbers

Stay up to date with our weekly funding updates

Disaster Assistance

For more information on getting assistance after a disaster visit our Individual Assistance page

Disaster Recovery Center Locations 

Due to COVID-19, centers are operating by appointment if you wish to speak with a FEMA representative in person. If you are delivering documents, you may do so through the drive-thru service. call FEMA at 1(800) 621-3362 o 1 (800) 642-7585 (TTY) or visit www.disasterassistance.gov to make an appointment.

Distaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) serve homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the recent earthquakes in Southwest Puerto Rico. Specialists from the government of Puerto Rico and municipalities, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, nongovernmental organizations and the local community, will be on hand to help survivors register for assistance, answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors. Services are provided in English and Spanish. The centers are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

SBA Business Recovery Centers

• Small Business Administration (SBA)

• I Was Told to Call the Small Business Administration

Assistance With Coping After An Earthquake 

Tips to help lessen anxiety

• Staying connected with your family and your closest friends.
• Check on your neighbors, especially people who may need help like seniors, parents with young children and people with disabilities.  

If you are feeling anxious or stressed, call the Primera Ayuda Sicosocial at 800-981-0023 and meet with a crisis counselor. 

For more information read our Coping After an Earthquake: Only You Can Determine Your Healing Time news release.

Crisis Counseling

FEMA has approved crisis counseling assistance for residents of Guánica, Guayanilla, Peñuelas, Ponce, Utuado and Yauco.

FEMA is funding the crisis counseling program, which is administered by Proyecto Animate. The program’s goal is to help people and communities to recover from the effects of natural or man-made disasters through short-term intervention.

In addition to the counselors at the disaster recovery centers and base camps, counselors can be reached by calling Línea PAS at 800-981-0023 or (TTY) 800-672-7622, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more infomation read our Crisis Counseling Approved for Six Municipalities in Southwest Puerto Rico news release.