Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Images

Images intro.
Filter Total Items: 116
2025 USGS National Seismic Hazard Model for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Chance of Damaging Shaking Map
2025 USGS National Seismic Hazard Model for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Chance of Damaging Shaking Map
2025 USGS National Seismic Hazard Model for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Chance of Damaging Shaking Map
2025 USGS National Seismic Hazard Model for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Chance of Damaging Shaking Map

2025 USGS National Seismic Hazard Model for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands Chance of Damaging Shaking Map; chance of slight-or-greater damaging earthquake shaking in 100 years (equivalent to Modified Mercalli Intensity VI).

The USGS National Seismic Hazard Model assessed new geologic and geophysical datasets including the Slab2 model of subduction, an updated seismic catalog, and our current understanding of the complex subduction zones of the Puerto Rico Trench and Muertos Trough.
USGS 2025 NSHM for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
USGS 2025 NSHM for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
USGS 2025 NSHM for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

The Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands USGS National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) includes updated geologic and geophysical model inputs ready for the 2025 release.

The Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands USGS National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) includes updated geologic and geophysical model inputs ready for the 2025 release.

map with boundary outlined and red circle
San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Site
San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Site
San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Site

San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico landslide lonitoring site. The San Lorenzo monitoring station is located in a moderately vegetated area underlain by Cretaceous volcaniclastic rock. 

San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico landslide lonitoring site. The San Lorenzo monitoring station is located in a moderately vegetated area underlain by Cretaceous volcaniclastic rock. 

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Landsat State Mosaic
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Landsat State Mosaic
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Landsat State Mosaic
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Landsat State Mosaic

The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States, is only 100 miles long by 35 miles wide—about 2 ½ times as big as Rhode Island. Even though it is a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico has its own Olympic team. The largest islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands are St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John.

The Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States, is only 100 miles long by 35 miles wide—about 2 ½ times as big as Rhode Island. Even though it is a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico has its own Olympic team. The largest islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands are St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John.

A SCUBA diver rests next to a large instrument, which sits on the sea floor.
Legna Torres-Garcia with oceanographic instrumentation
Legna Torres-Garcia with oceanographic instrumentation
Legna Torres-Garcia with oceanographic instrumentation

Legna Torres-Garcia deploys oceanographic instrumentation to measure waves, currents, water temperature and water levels in Dorado, Puerto Rico in October 2022. This deployment will improve computer model accuracy related to total water level forecast. USGS Photo by David Thompson.

Legna Torres-Garcia deploys oceanographic instrumentation to measure waves, currents, water temperature and water levels in Dorado, Puerto Rico in October 2022. This deployment will improve computer model accuracy related to total water level forecast. USGS Photo by David Thompson.

Three U.S. Geological Survey scientists in scuba gear work to install a wave buoy and pressure sensor 60 feet underwater to measure waves and water levels in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. USGS Image.
USGS scientists installing underwater equipment
USGS scientists installing underwater equipment
USGS scientists installing underwater equipment

Three U.S. Geological Survey scientists in scuba gear work to install a wave buoy and pressure sensor 60 feet underwater to measure waves and water levels in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. 

Three U.S. Geological Survey scientists in scuba gear work to install a wave buoy and pressure sensor 60 feet underwater to measure waves and water levels in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. 

Three scientists in hats and life vests on a boat driving by a fort on the edge of a tropical island
Team of oceanographers in Puerto Rico | Equipo de oceanógrafos en Puerto Rico
Team of oceanographers in Puerto Rico | Equipo de oceanógrafos en Puerto Rico
Team of oceanographers in Puerto Rico | Equipo de oceanógrafos en Puerto Rico

A team of divers from the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center on a small boat off the coast of Puerto Rico. They deployed oceanographic instruments and wave buoys in 60m of water to measure waves, wind, and water levels.

three people in life vests hold a yellow buoy with solar panels on a boat near a cliff-lined shore
Installing Oceanographic Buoy in Puerto Rico
Installing Oceanographic Buoy in Puerto Rico
Installing Oceanographic Buoy in Puerto Rico

A group of divers (from left to right: Legna Torres-Garcia, BJ Reynolds, and Dave Thompson) from the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center prepare to deploy a solar-powered Sofar spotter buoy off the coast of Puerto Rico.

A group of divers (from left to right: Legna Torres-Garcia, BJ Reynolds, and Dave Thompson) from the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center prepare to deploy a solar-powered Sofar spotter buoy off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Tres científicos del Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos en equipo de buceo instalando una boya de olas y un sensor de p
Tres científicos del USGS que instalan equipos submarinos
Tres científicos del USGS que instalan equipos submarinos
Tres científicos del USGS que instalan equipos submarinos

Tres científicos del Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos en equipo de buceo instalando una boya de olas y un sensor de presión a 60 pies de profundad para medir las olas y niveles de agua en Isla Verde, Puerto Rico.

Tres científicos del Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos en equipo de buceo instalando una boya de olas y un sensor de presión a 60 pies de profundad para medir las olas y niveles de agua en Isla Verde, Puerto Rico.

A woman stands in front of a group of people holding up a piece of paper with scientific information
Legna Torres-García engages with stakeholders in Puerto Rico
Legna Torres-García engages with stakeholders in Puerto Rico
Legna Torres-García engages with stakeholders in Puerto Rico

Dr. Legna Torres-García of the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center is leading an effort to build relationships with stakeholders on the island of Puerto Rico to better understand their needs for natural hazards data and resources and share information available from USGS that are relevant to the island.

Dr. Legna Torres-García of the St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center is leading an effort to build relationships with stakeholders on the island of Puerto Rico to better understand their needs for natural hazards data and resources and share information available from USGS that are relevant to the island.

Group of researchers on a palm-tree lined beach pointing up at a camera mounted to a pole looking over the beach
Group Installed Coast Cam in Puerto Rico
Group Installed Coast Cam in Puerto Rico
Group Installed Coast Cam in Puerto Rico

A team from the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center went to Puerto Rico to install new Coast Cams to monitor how the beach and shoreline change through time. These cameras will allow the team to make predictions of how the coast will respond during storms and hurricanes.

A team from the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center went to Puerto Rico to install new Coast Cams to monitor how the beach and shoreline change through time. These cameras will allow the team to make predictions of how the coast will respond during storms and hurricanes.

Dos científicos del Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos instalando un equipo para sondeos de una costa en Dorado, Puerto
Dos científicos del Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos instalando un equipo para sondeos de una costa
Dos científicos del Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos instalando un equipo para sondeos de una costa
Dos científicos del Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos instalando un equipo para sondeos de una costa

Dos científicos del Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos instalando un equipo para sondeos de una costa en Dorado, Puerto Rico. Este equipo monitoreará como la playa y la línea costera cambian a través del tiempo. Imagen de USGS. 

Two U.S. Geological Survey scientists set-up equipment to survey a beach in Dorado, Puerto Rico. This equipment will monitor how the beach and shoreline change through time. USGS Image.
USGS scientists set-up equipment on beach
USGS scientists set-up equipment on beach
USGS scientists set-up equipment on beach

Two U.S. Geological Survey scientists set-up equipment to survey a beach in Dorado, Puerto Rico. This equipment will monitor how the beach and shoreline change through time. USGS Image. 

Two U.S. Geological Survey scientists set-up equipment to survey a beach in Dorado, Puerto Rico. This equipment will monitor how the beach and shoreline change through time. USGS Image. 

metal pole with solar panel and box amongst palm trees
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station

Completed landslide monitoring station at Adjuntas, Puerto Rico among the palms. One of the sites in the Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network.

Completed landslide monitoring station at Adjuntas, Puerto Rico among the palms. One of the sites in the Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network.

3 people installing a metal pole with solar panel and box among palm trees
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station

Kelli Baxstrom wires sensors to a datalogger after sensors are installed underground at the Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, landslide monitoring site, part of the Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network.

Kelli Baxstrom wires sensors to a datalogger after sensors are installed underground at the Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, landslide monitoring site, part of the Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network.

metal pole with solar panel and box amongst palm trees
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station
person in small dirt trench with cap and gloves on
Pit for sensor installation in Maricao, Puerto Rico
Pit for sensor installation in Maricao, Puerto Rico
Pit for sensor installation in Maricao, Puerto Rico

Kelli Baxstrom excavates a pit for sensor installation at a monitoring site in Maricao, Puerto Rico.

A large, branching, brown/orange elkhorn coral among blue water and a school of fish on a coral reef
Elkhorn Coral in Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, Rincón, Puerto Rico
Elkhorn Coral in Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, Rincón, Puerto Rico
Elkhorn Coral in Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, Rincón, Puerto Rico

Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) in Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, Rincón, Puerto Rico. This coral can form reef crests and cause waves to break, providing significant protection to the coast.

Brochure with text and an aerial view looking down on a coast with dots depicting data values along the coast.
Hurricanes increase future flood risk in Puerto Rico and Florida, 2
Hurricanes increase future flood risk in Puerto Rico and Florida, 2
Hurricanes increase future flood risk in Puerto Rico and Florida, 2

The significant flood risk consequences of damage to coral reefs from Hurricanes Irma and Maria clarify why the defense benefits from this natural infrastructure should be recovered, repaired and restored.

Was this page helpful?