The people of Puerto Rico have experienced several major earthquakes and aftershocks this month. Cecilia Iraida, a member of the Chicagoland Herbal Collective, wrote from Puerto Rico on Jan. 10th, before another major earthquake hit on the morning of the 11th, “As I write to you now there are still tremors being felt. I went to rest on my bed and felt my bed moving still. It's been raining on and off intensely in my region. Cleansing. The aftershocks are more intense in the south. Like 5.4 at the highest. Guayanilla, Ponce, Yauco, Guanica, are in the worst shape right now. There's talk of another earthquake. My family here's in great fear at the moment. There's several of them living in one house right now. I've invited them to stay with me more than once but they're in no position to relocate. There are families already outside, sleeping in parks, in cars, in tents, cots, where they are. What's crucial in this moment is providing adequate supplies for shelter, sustenance and communication. Solar lights, phone chargers, tents, inflatable mattresses, life straws, water filters, canned/dried food, outdoor stoves, etc., if possible, should be sent and shipped over. About 300 people displaced from their homes in Guayanilla/Yauco right now. 200 people are sleeping out in Peñuelas in dire need of aid, food, assistance.” We hope those numbers aren’t even higher now after Saturday morning’s quake. Cecilia is working with Chicago and Puerto Rico based Permaculture organization, Land + Heart Project https://www.landheartproject.org/ to provide assistance. If you would like to help, donations can be made here: http://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/landheartproject
