Effects of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Hurricane Maria

Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Maria over Puerto Rico on September 20
Duration	September 19–21, 2017
Winds	1-minute sustained: 155 mph (250 km/h)
Pressure	920 mbar (hPa); 27.17 inHg
Fatalities	2,982 (estimated)
Damage	$90 billion (2017 USD)
Areas affected	Puerto Rico
Part of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Maria devastated the entire island of Puerto Rico in September 2017 and caused a major humanitarian crisis. Originally a powerful Category 5 hurricane, Maria was the strongest storm to impact the island in nearly 90 years. Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico on September 20 as a high-end Category 4 storm, bringing a large storm surge, very heavy rains, and wind gusts well above 100 mph (160 km/h). It flattened neighborhoods, crippled the island's power grid, can caused an estimated 2,982 fatalities and US$90 billion in damage.

Background

Storm path

Hurricane Maria

Still recovering from Hurricane Irma, which had hit the island just two weeks earlier, approximately 80,000 people were still without power as Maria approached.

Storm history up to landfall

Maria first developed into a tropical depression on September 16 while it was located about 665 miles (1,070 km) east of Barbados. Favorable conditions allowed the storm to strengthen throughout the day, and a convective burst over the center propelled Maria to hurricane strength late on September 17. Over the next 24 hours, Maria explosively strengthened to Category 5 status just 15 miles (25 km) east-southeast of Dominica, before making landfall on that island early on September 19. Despite some slight weakening, Maria reached peak intensity early on September 20 while roughly 30 miles (45 km) south of St. Croix, with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (282 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 908 mbar (26.8 inHg).

Infrared satellite loop of Maria passing south of St. Croix, Vieques, and making landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20

Maria made its closest approach to St. Croix around 05:00 UTC on September 20, passing within 20 miles (35 km) of the island; the storm's outer eyewall lashed the island, but the inner eyewall remained offshore. Hours later, the outer eyewall hit Vieques, an island off of Puerto Rico's eastern coast. By this time, an eyewall replacement cycle had caused Maria to weaken to Category 4 strength. Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, just south of Yabucoa, around 10:15 UTC, with sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) and a central pressure of 920 mbar (27 inHg). It was the second strongest recorded hurricane to hit the island, surpassed only by the 1928 San Felipe Segundo hurricane, the only Category 5 hurricane to strike Puerto Rico.

Infrastructure and recession

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), whose debt had already reached $9 billion before the hurricanes, eventually filed for bankruptcy. Furthermore, the company has lost 30 percent of its employees since 2012. Aging infrastructure across the island makes the grid more susceptible to damage from storms; the median age of PREPA power plants is 44 years. The company's safety record is also not up to par, and local newspapers frequently describe poor maintenance and outdated controls.

In the decade preceding Maria, Puerto Rico suffered from major financial decline and crippling debt from poor fiscal management. Early in 2017, the territory filed for bankruptcy as its public debt reached $74 billion. A change in taxation policy prompted an exodus of lucrative business and reduced tax revenue; unemployment rates reached 45 percent.

Preparations

Forecasts of Hurricane Maria's track from the National Hurricane Center proved to be "highly accurate," with the agency's second advisory—issued on September 16—predicting it would strike Puerto Rico as a major hurricane.

Evacuation orders were issued in Puerto Rico in advance of Maria, and officials announced that 450 shelters would open in the afternoon of September 18. As of September 19, at least 2,000 people in Puerto Rico had sought shelter.

Impact

Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on Wednesday, September 20. Sustained winds of 64 mph (103 km/h), with gusts up to 113 mph (182 km/h), were reported in the capital city of San Juan shortly before landfall. After landfall, gusts of 109 mph (175 km/h) were reported at Yabucoa Harbor, and gusts of 118 mph (190 km/h) at Camp Santiago. A minimum barometric pressure reading of 926.6 mbar (27.36 inHg) was reported in Yabucoa. In addition, very heavy rainfall occurred throughout the territory, peaking at 37.9 in (962.7 mm) in Caguas. Widespread flooding, waist-deep in some areas, affected San Juan, and the roof was blown off of numerous structures. San Juan's coastal La Perla neighborhood was largely destroyed. Cataño saw extensive damage, with the Juana Matos neighborhood estimated to be 80 percent destroyed. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan's primary airport, was slated to reopen on September 22.

Storm surge and flash flooding stemming from floodgate releases at La Plata Lake Dam converged on the town of Toa Baja, trapping thousands of residents. Survivors indicate that flood waters rose at least 6 ft (1.8 m) in 30 minutes, reaching a depth of 15 ft (4.6 m) in some areas. More than 2,000 people were rescued when military relief reached the town. At least eight people died due to the flooding while many are unaccounted for.

Thousands of homes suffered varying degrees of damage while large swaths of vegetation were shredded by the hurricane's violent winds

The hurricane completely destroyed the island's power grid, leaving all 3.4 million residents without electricity. Puerto Rican governor Ricardo Rosselló stated that it could take months to restore power in some locations, with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz estimating that some areas would remain without power for four to six months. Communication networks were crippled across the island. Ninety-five percent of cell networks were down with 48 of the island's 78 counties' networks rendered completely inoperable. Eighty-five per cent of above-ground phone and internet cables were knocked out. Only one radio station, WAPA 680 AM, remained on-air through the storm.

NEXRAD radar destroyed by Maria

The NEXRAD Doppler weather radar of Puerto Rico had also been literally blown away. The radome which covers the radar antenna, was destroyed in the 130-mph winds, and the 30-foot-wide radar dish was blown from the pedestal, which remained intact. The radar is located at an elevation of 2,800 feet and the anemometer at the site measured winds of about 145 mph before communications broke, which means winds at that height were likely 20 percent higher than what was seen at sea level, possibly reaching Category 5 levels. Its replacement will take a few months.

The nearby island of Vieques suffered similarly extensive damage. Communications were largely lost across the island. There was widespread property damage and many structures were leveled.

Maria's Category 4 winds broke a 96-foot (29 m) line feed antenna of the Arecibo Observatory. It fell 500 feet (150 m) puncturing the dish below, greatly reducing its functionality until repairs can be made.

Maria caused many factories in Puerto Rico to close, including factories that make IV bags. This led to a shortage of IV bags on the mainland, exacerbating an H3N2 outbreak that killed at least 30 children.

Damage estimates and economic impact

On September 24, Governor Rosselló estimated that the damage from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico exceeded the $8 billion damage by Hurricane Georges. He later estimated that Maria caused at least US$ 90 billion in damage. Approximately 80 percent of the territory's agriculture was destroyed by the hurricane; losses are estimated at $780 million. Plantains, bananas and coffee farms were severely damaged and more than 90% of Puerto Rico's poultry was destroyed.

Emotional impact

Cases of depression after Hurricane Maria increased and, in some cases, lead to weight loss. Prolonged periods without power or water services exacerbated preexisting mental health issues in many people. Food and potable water was hard to come by, even months after the storm, compounding feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Many people were not equipped to handle the lasting effects of the damage this storm wrought on the island. Survivors have stated they will never forget it. Some still feel the emotional effects while looking at pictures or recounting stories.

Anxiety was high among survivors as well. On the western side of the island, it was rumored that water was being pumped by AAA to homes from Guajataca. The damage to the reservoir and further rumors that the lake was going to run dry increased levels of anxiety in residents of the region. When water service finally returned, it was unreliable and many still depended on bottled water.

Death toll

In the months following Maria, media outlets, politicians, and investigative journalists questioned the official death toll of 64 from the Government of Puerto Rico. A two-week investigation in November 2017 by CNN of 112 funeral homes—approximately half of the island—revealed 499 hurricane-related deaths between September 20 and October 19. Funeral homes became so overwhelmed that in one instance a facility's director in Vega Alta died from a stress-induced heart attack. Two scientists, Alexis Santos and Jeffrey Howard, estimated the death toll in Puerto Rico to be 1,085 by the end of November 2017. They utilized average monthly deaths and the spike in fatalities following the hurricane. The value only accounted for reported deaths, and with limitations to communication the actual toll could have been even higher. By the end of November, the Puerto Rican government maintained that their report of 55 fatalities was the most accurate despite ample contrary evidence collected by media and investigative journalists. Utilizing a similar method, The New York Times indicated an increase of 1,052 fatalities in the 42 days following Maria compared to previous years. Significant spikes in causes deaths compared to the two preceding Septembers included sepsis (+47%), pneumonia (+45%), emphysema (+43%), diabetes (+31%), and Alzheimer's and Parkinson's (+23%). Robert Anderson at the National Center for Health Statistics conveyed the increase in monthly fatalities was statistically significant and likely driven in some capacity by Hurricane Maria.

By mid-December Governor Rossello ordered a recount and new analysis of the official death toll. On August 28, 2018, the Government of Puerto Rico revised the official death toll to be 2,975 people, ranking Maria as one of the deadliest hurricanes in United States history. The official estimate is based on a study commissioned by the governor of Puerto Rico.

Aftermath

The power grid was effectively destroyed by the hurricane, leaving millions without electricity. Governor Ricardo Rosselló estimated that Maria caused at least 90 billion dollars in damage. As of September 26, 95% of the island was without power, less than half the population had tap water, and 95% of the island had no cell phone service. On October 6, a little more than two weeks after the hurricane, 89% still had no power, 44% had no water service, and 58% had no cell service. One month after the hurricane, 88% of the island was without power (about 3 million people), 29% lacked tap water (about 1 million people), and 40% of the island had no cell service. Three months after the hurricane, 45% of Puerto Ricans still had no power, over 1.5 million people. Fourteen percent of Puerto Rico had no tap water; cell service was returning with over 90% of service restored and 86% of cell towers functioning.

Two weeks after the hurricane, international relief organization Oxfam chose to intervene for the first time on American soil since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Relief supplies unloaded by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents

One month after the hurricane, all hospitals were open, but most were on backup generators that provide limited power. About half of sewage treatment plants on the island were still not functioning. FEMA reported 60,000 homes needed roofing help, and had distributed 38,000 roofing tarps. The island's highways and bridges remained heavily damaged nearly a month later. Only 392 miles of Puerto Rico's 5,073 miles of road were open. A month later, some towns continued to be isolated and delivery of relief supplies including food and water were hampered—helicopters were the only alternative.

As of October 1, there were ongoing fuel shortage and distribution problems, with 720 of 1,100 gas stations open.

The Guajataca Dam was structurally damaged, and on September 22, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for parts of the area in response. Tens of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate the area, with about 70,000 thought to be at risk.

The entirety of Puerto Rico was declared a Federal Disaster Zone shortly after the hurricane. The Federal Emergency Management Agency planned to open an air bridge with three to four aircraft carrying essential supplies to the island daily starting on September 22. Beyond flights involving the relief effort, limited commercial traffic resumed at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport on September 22 under primitive conditions. A dozen commercial flights operated daily as of September 26. By October 3, there were 39 commercial flights per day from all Puerto Rican airports, about a quarter of the normal number. The next day, airports were reported to be operating at normal capacity. In marked contrast to the initial relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 Haiti earthquake, on September 22, the only signs of relief efforts were beleaguered Puerto Rican government employees. The territory's government contracted 56 small companies to assist in restoring power. Eight FEMA Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) teams were deployed to assist in rescue efforts.

Debris-clogged roads added to logistical challenges faced by rescue and relief crews

On September 24, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge and the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill under Rear Admiral Jeffrey W. Hughes along with the 2,400 marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived to assist in relief efforts. By September 24, there were 13 United States Coast Guard ships deployed around Puerto Rico assisting in the relief and restoration efforts: the National Security Cutter USCGC James; the medium endurance cutters USCGC Diligence, USCGC Forward, USCGC Venturous, and USCGC Valiant; the fast response cutters USCGC Donald Horsley, USCGC Heriberto Hernandez, USCGC Joseph Napier, USCGC Richard Dixon, and USCGC Winslow Griesser; the coastal patrol boat USCGC Yellowfin; and the seagoing buoy tenders USCGC Cypress and USCGC Elm. Federal aid arrived on September 25 with the reopening of major ports. Eleven cargo vessels collectively carrying 1.3 million liters of water, 23,000 cots, and dozens of generators arrived. Full operations at the ports of Guayanilla, Salinas, and Tallaboa resumed on September 25, while the ports of San Juan, Fajardo, Culebra, Guayama, and Vieques had limited operations. The United States Air Force Air Mobility Command has dedicated eight C-17 Globemaster aircraft to deliver relief supplies. The Air Force assisted the Federal Aviation Administration with air traffic control repairs to increase throughput capacity.

The United States Transportation Command moved additional personnel and eight U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from Fort Campbell, Kentucky to Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport to increase distribution capacity. The United States Army Corps of Engineers deployed 670 personnel engaged in assessing and restoring the power grid; as of September 25, 83 generators were installed and an additional 186 generators were en route. As of September 26, agencies of the U.S. government had delivered 4 million meals, 6 million liters of water, 70,000 tarps and 15,000 rolls of roof sheeting. National Guard troops were activated and deployed to Puerto Rico from Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

Members of the South Carolina National Guard assisting with clean up efforts in Caguas

On September 29, the hospital ship USNS Comfort left port at Norfolk, Virginia to help victims of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and arrived in San Juan on October 3. A couple of days later, the Comfort departed on an around the island tour to assist, remaining a dozen miles off shore. Patients were brought to the ship by helicopter or boat tender after being referred by Puerto Rico's Department of Health. However, most of the 250 bed floating state-of-the-art hospital went unused despite overburdened island clinics and hospitals because there were few referrals. Governor Rosselló explained on or about October 17 that "The disconnect or the apparent disconnect was in the communications flow" and added "I asked for a complete revision of that so that we can now start sending more patients over there." After remaining offshore for three weeks, the Comfort docked in San Juan on October 27, briefly departing only once to restock at sea from a naval resupply ship. As of Nov. 8, the Comfort's staff had treated 1,476 patients, including 147 surgeries and two births.

On September 27, the Pentagon reopened two major airfields on Puerto Rico and started sending aircraft, specialized units, and a hospital ship to assist in the relief effort; Brigadier General Richard C. Kim, the deputy commanding general of United States Army North, was responsible for coordinating operations between the military, FEMA and other government agencies, and the private sector. Massive amounts of water, food, and fuel either had been delivered to ports in Puerto Rico or were held up at ports in the mainland United States because there was a lack of truck drivers to move the goods into the interior; the lack of communication networks hindered the effort as only 20% of drivers reported to work. As of September 28, the Port of San Juan had only been able to dispatch 4% of deliveries received and had very little room to accept additional shipments. As of September 28, 44 percent of the population remained without drinking water and the U.S. military was shifting from "a short term, sea-based response to a predominantly land-based effort designed to provide robust, longer term support" with fuel delivery a top priority. A joint Army National Guard and Marine expeditionary unit (MEU) team established an Installation Staging Base at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Station; they transported via helicopter Department of Health and Human Services assessment teams to hospitals across Puerto Rico to determine medical requirements. On September 29, the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp which had been providing relief activities to the island of Dominica was diverted to Puerto Rico. As of September 30, FEMA official Alejandro de la Campa stated that 5% of electricity, 33% of the telecommunications infrastructure, and 50% of water services had been restored to the island.

More than a week after Hurricane Maria struck, residents of Ponce, Puerto Rico wait in long lines at an ATM to withdraw cash.

On September 28, 2017, Lieutenant General Jeffrey S. Buchanan was dispatched to Puerto Rico to lead all military hurricane relief efforts there and to see how the military could be more effective in the recovery effort, particularly in dealing with the thousands of containers of supplies that were stuck in port because of "red tape, lack of drivers, and a crippling power outage". On September 29 he stated that there were not enough troops and equipment in place but more would be arriving soon.

With centralized fossil-fuel-based power plants and grid infrastructure expected to be out of commission for weeks to months, some renewable energy projects were in the works, including the shipment of hundreds of Tesla Powerwall battery systems to be integrated with solar PV systems and Sonnen solar microgrid projects at 15 emergency community centers; the first were expected to be completed in October. In addition, other solar companies jumped into help, including Sunnova and New Start Solar. A charity called Light Up Puerto Rico raised money to both purchase and deliver solar products, including solar panels, on Oct. 19.

Many TV and movie stars donated money to hurricane relief organizations to help the victims of Harvey and Maria. Prominently, Jennifer Aniston pledged a million U.S. dollars, dividing the amount equally between the Red Cross and The Ricky Martin Foundation for Puerto Rico. Martin's foundation had raised over three million dollars as of October 13.

On October 10, 2017, Carnival Cruise Lines announced that it would resume departures of cruises from San Juan on October 15, 2017. On October 13, both CNN and The Guardian reported that Puerto Ricans were drinking water that was being pumped from a well at an EPA Superfund site; the water was later determined to be safe to drink.

On October 13, the Trump administration requested $4.9 billion to fund a loan program that Puerto Rico could use to address basic functions and infrastructure needs. As of October 20, only 18.5% of the island had electricity, 49.1% of cell towers were working, and 69.5% of customers had running water, with the slowest restoration in the north. Ports and commercial flights were back to normal operations, but 7.6% of USPS locations, 11.5% of supermarkets, and 21.4% of gas stations were still closed. 4,246 people were still living in emergency shelters, and tourism was down by half. As of November 5, more than 100,000 people had left Puerto Rico for the mainland. A December 17 report indicated that 600 people remained in shelters while 130,000 had left the island to go to the mainland.

Possible leptospirosis outbreak

Standing water in Ponce, Puerto Rico, more than a week after Hurricane Maria hit the island

An outbreak of leptospirosis may have affected survivors in the weeks following the hurricane. The bacterial infection is contracted through water contaminated with animal urine, with an incubation period of 2 to 30 days. Since large areas of Puerto Rico were without tap water, residents were forced to use other sources of water that may be contaminated, such as local streams. By October 23, four people were suspected of having died from the disease while 74 others were suspected of being infected. There were 18 confirmed cases, 4 confirmed deaths and 99 suspected cases by November 7. Puerto Rico averages 5 cases of leptospirosis per month under normal conditions. Despite the possibility of an outbreak, officials did not deem the situation being as dire.

Recovery in 2018

Puerto Rico is a major manufacturer of medical devices and pharmaceuticals, with this sector representing 30% of its economy. Its factories either shut down or were greatly in reduced production because of the hurricane, and have been slowly recovering since. This has caused a months-long shortage of some medical supplies in the United States, especially IV bags. Small IV bags often come prefilled with saline or common drugs in solution, and have forced health care providers to scramble behind the scenes for alternative methods of drug delivery. In January 2018, when the shortage was projected to ease, flu season hit and lead to a spike in demand.

By the end of January 2018, approximately 450,000 people remained without power island-wide. On February 11, an explosion and fire damaged a power substation in Monacillo, causing a large blackout in northern parts of the island including San Juan, Trujillo Alto, Guaynabo, Carolina, Caguas, and Juncos. Cascading outages affected areas powered by substations in Villa Bettina and Quebrada Negrito.

Recovery after 2018

In 2018, electric and water service was restored to most of the island, though outages continued. In 2020, FEMA officials indicated that the island was not prepared for another hurricane.

By four years after the storm, most of the reconstruction work had not been begun, let alone completed. As of September 2021, FEMA had only delivered 18% of funds allocated for the island. As of 2021, of the 19,558 homes affected by the hurricane which requested financial assistance, only 1,651 had been repaired or remodeled. On September 23, 2021, the governor Pedro Pierluisi stated the government had identified 7,060 homes in 39 municipalities which lost their roofs during the hurricane and still used blue tarps.