Puerto Rico will become the first island in the Caribbean to have specialized sensors to stop seismic motions with technology from Grillo.

The Resiliency and Business Innovation (RBI), a program of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Fund, announced Tuesday with a statement the start of the Grillo PR project to control seismic movements on the island.

The initiative collaborates with the Puerto Rico Seismological Network, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), and IBM.

The statement notes that during the first phase of the Grillo PR project, specialized sensors will be installed in different parts of the island, which will allow the establishment of a network to collect seismic data.

It will work to innovate in new applications

“Through the information collected through these sensors, other researchers will be able to create and innovate new applications that allow them to develop resilience in the face of earthquakes, not only in Puerto Rico, but around the world.”, Shaded Annie Mustafa Ramos, Director of RBI, a two-year program that completed in April.

Former US President Bill ClintonFor his part, he announced the support of the foundation that bears his name for the initiative, during the first day of the virtual meeting of the CGI Action Network on disaster recovery, which will continue until next Thursday.

With more than 15,000 earthquakes detected between December 2019 and May 2021 in Puerto Rico, investments in systems like these will help communities in the region better prepare for disasters. In the end, they will save lives. ”Clinton confirmed.

Grillo PR’s second phase will focus on validating data collected with the goal of developing a future early warning system for earthquakes in the Caribbean.

Start with 90 sensors

The pilot program will start with a total of 90 sensors to be installed in companies that have accepted the invitation through local professional organizations.

It is estimated that the economic cost of losses caused by earthquakes in Puerto Rico in 2020 is $ 3.1 billion.

Between 1900 and 2018, 1,895 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more were recorded in the Caribbean, most of them in island-populated areas.

However, there was no earthquake early warning system in Puerto Rico due to the high costs of conventional systems.

“The Caribbean is a very seismic region in which large earthquakes occur. In the past 50 years, there have been 4 large earthquakes with strength greater than 7 in the region.”, Shown Victor UrvanDirector of the Puerto Rico Network of Seismology.

Earthquake early warning systems provide early detection by alerting people and infrastructure at risk.

Alerts can travel from seconds to minutes before feeling a strong vibration, giving people plenty of time to protect themselves.

Alerts can also trigger automated systems that stop elevators, start generators, and shut down gas lines.

However, there are only a few early warning systems in the world due to the high cost of sensors, infrastructure, and technology development.

Grillo will expand its technology to the Caribbean, starting with Puerto Rico.