In contrast, the California crust is quite fractured. Seismic waves are not attenuated or dampened as much as those coming from California earthquakes. So, a mid-continent earthquake is much more destructive for its size. Now, one side of the island felt the tremors, which was the west side, but the east side of the island where I was did not. Can you please explain to me how that can be possible when it was the same island, the same piece of land.
Earthquake waves are like sound waves.
Quite sounds are not heard over great distances. Loud sounds are heard much further away. Likewise, small earthquakes make sound waves that are detected locally and these waves would not carried under Puerto Rico with enough energy to be detected on the other side of the island. Only the waves of larger earthquakes have enough energy to carry to the opposite side of the island.