Engineer José "Pepe" Izquierdo Encarnación of the Colegio de Ingenieros y Agrimensores de Puerto Rico (CIAPR) told Primera Hora that a new, publicly available manual explains how to reinforce homes built on stilts ("zancos") common across Puerto Rico's mountainous terrain, to protect them from earthquakes. He noted that 55% of homes built in Puerto Rico are self-built by owners, and building on stilt platforms is a cultural custom. The 2020 earthquakes in southwestern Puerto Rico proved these columns often fail, causing intact houses to collapse onto vehicles and anything below.
Izquierdo warned that mountain homes are especially concerning, since failed stilts could send houses sliding downhill, potentially causing many deaths, particularly if a quake struck at night while residents slept. To address this risk, experts at the University of Puerto Rico's Mayagüez campus created the manual "Rehabilitación Sísmica de Casas en Zancos," an initiative led by Dr. José Martínez Cruzado (UPR Mayagüez professor), Dr.
Ricardo López Rodríguez (retired professor), and Dr. Yvonne González Avellanet (structural engineer). The guide is written in accessible language so the public can understand how to reinforce their homes' foundations.