Continued earthquakes mean continued need for relief work in Puerto Rico

LAKELAND, Fla. - Dory Rodriguez Joseph and her 6-year-old daughter were visiting relatives in Puerto Rico when a 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck, during the first week of January.

“I grabbed her at 4:24 a.m. and just ran out of the house,” the Polk County resident told FOX 13.

Rodriguez returned to the U.S. safely but frequently worries about the loved ones she left behind because the earthquakes and tremors have not stopped.

“It is still happening, 15 to 30 earthquakes a day,” she said. “It is shaking, constantly shaking.”

Dory has made a commitment to go back and help as often as possible, in any way she can. She just came back from a mission during the first week in February.

She says the part of the island hit hardest by the earthquakes, the area surrounding Ponce on the southern coast, is still in pretty bad shape.

“There are 111 refugee tents in Ponce right now,” she explained. “Some of them don’t have any houses. The houses are so cracked, so it is not safe for them to be in there.”

On this recent trip to the island, through her non-profit United City, Rodriquez Joseph was able to pay to fix the roof and plumbing for a grandmother who is raising her grandchildren.

Dory is also working to help find a new home for a church that the earthquake demolished.

“We are already talking about gathering people to get a construction crew there and doing more projects,” she said.

LINK: For more information, visit www.unitedcity.org.