Although aid has been sent in droves to Puerto Rico, logistical hurdles are causing, even more, frustration for its 3.4 million American citizens. The island nation has no electricity and it could be months before power is restored.
Death toll rises
San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz says many communities have been reduced to rubble and the death toll is rising as rescue teams continue their search. She laments that many elderly persons are continuing to perish due to a lack of food, water, and medical supplies. Maria left the island in tatters, cutting off access to remote locations and destroying many architectural buildings that attracted tourists.
Flights are still infrequent and more than 91 percent of cell sites are out of service. There are fears that many people’s bodies have not been found due to logistical problems. That, coupled with the humidity of the island, has sparked concern that decomposition in the open air, will lead to the spread of disease.
Humanitarian crisis
Governor Ricardo Rossello has labeled the travesty a “humanitarian crisis” and urged Congress to pass an aid bill like it did for Hurricane Harvey. Speaking to MSNBC, he said, “more help is needed with resources, deployment of people and assistance in general to the ravaged island.” There was an outpouring of support for Texas and Florida following Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Clean up and aid crews were on the ground within hours getting the states back up and running. Puerto Rican officials, however complain that they have not seen that kind of dedication to their island even though it is a US region. Analysts have estimated that billions of dollars will be needed to reconstruct the island.
Chaos is imminent
On Tuesday 26, President Trump acknowledged in a series of tweets, that Puerto Rico needs help. He added, however, that its financial situation, in which it still owes billions of dollars to Wall Street, must be addressed. At the main airport in San Juan, cries of those hoping to escape the island were heard on Tuesday.
CBS News spoke to people who had been in line for more than 24 hours waiting to board a flight to get medical attention overseas. Some people were waiting on dialysis, others, vital medication for various ailments. Following Hurricane Irma in other parts of the Caribbean like Saint Martin, organized gangs began attacking, robbing and maiming citizens for drinking water, food and clothes. There were also reports of rapes by eyewitnesses who took to social media to highlight their ongoing nightmare. With time running out for Puerto Rico, those stranded on the island are worried about anarchy.
Rapper Pitbull sent his private plane to Puerto Rico to transport cancer patients to the US for chemotherapy treatment. Having been moved by their plight, he said he felt blessed to be able to help and needed to do his part. Hurricane Maria killed 16 people in Puerto Rico and 28 others in Caribbean territories.
