It’s been 13 days since Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, and things are still looking very grim for the U.S. territory, according to ABC News, government officials say that only 47% of the country has access to clean drinking water at the moment, and it will be at least a month before that number reaches 80%. Not only is water scarce, but to make matters worse, Governor Ricardo Rossello said on Monday that just 5% of the island has power, and that number is only expected to reach 25% by next month as well. This has also affected cell phone companies in the island, but as of this weekend, 37% of residents already got their service back.
The Puerto Rican inhabitants are getting attacked on every front, not only is there a shortage of water and electricity, but people are also lacking basic necessities like fuel and groceries, most stores are empty by now, and even if there was product availability, people are also running out money fast.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency reports it has already reached all of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities, delivering one million meals and 2 million liters of water for the 3.5 million U.S. citizens that reside on the Caribbean island. The agency has deployed six Urban Search and Rescue teams deployed are being supported by several independent agencies as well.
Most of the aid is arriving at the Port of San Juan, but unfortunately, there aren’t enough truck drivers to distribute the aid properly, leaving Carlos Mendez, the mayor of Aguadilla, no other choice but to drive himself two hours each way, every day across the island, to get FEMA aid from San Juan and deliver it to his people. “They’re not coming here, I’m going there,” Mendez said.
Many hospitals have had stop operating due to the lack of fuel, only 10 hospitals in the island count with electrical power right now, and according to Governor Rosello, that number could increase by 12 on Tuesday.
Governor Rosello expects gas stations to be up and running sooner than later, with already 720 of the 1,100 gas stations in the island now operational, also, in the next couple of days, a shipment of 500,000 barrels of diesel and 1,000,000 barrels of gasoline is expected to arrive. This, while not exactly being cost efficient, will definitely help hospitals and food banks keep their generators going, and allow residents to travel for food, water, cash and any other necessity that they might have at the moment.
Thousands of people were rendered homeless during the hurricane, right now 8,800 people are housed in 140 shelters now, according to a Reuters report, this has lead the government to lift its emergency dry during the weekend, so residents could gather at bars to drink and dance, and alleviate some of the pain they are going through.
President Donald Trump will arrive in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, and he will meet with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, who Trump attacked on Twitter for “poor leadership,” hopefully the two will be able to put their differences aside so they can assist those who are in dire need of help.