![Puerto Rico faces humanitarian crisis. [Image Credit: Roosevelt Skerrit/Flickr]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/10/1/660x290/b_502x220x82/puerto-rico-faces-humanitarian-crisis-image-credit-roosevelt-skerrit-flickr_1603689.jpg "Puerto Rico faces humanitarian crisis. [Image Credit: Roosevelt Skerrit/Flickr]")
Hurricane Maria is the third strongest storm to hit the US. It came two weeks after Hurricane Irma left a path across the Carribean Islands. It started as a category 1, but it became a category 5 storm, with its eyes set on the already-battered island.
This catastrophic storm made a direct landfall on Puerto Rico after it was spared by Irma. The devastating strike of the powerful hurricane has resulted in severe damages in the island, including power outage and disrupted communication links. It also caused the fall of a 90-year-old dam known as Guasataca Dam, leaving at least 16 persons dead.
CNN reports that help has been slow to come to the communities with total devastation.
Residents plead for more federal assistance
The Puerto Ricans are complaining that US response to the Island is very slow. New York Times reports that the Humanitarian Crisis in Puerto Rico will increase. The health, safety, and well-being of the residents are under threat. Though the federal government is responding to these challenges, the residents are still not satisfied. They said it is very slow compared to the response Texas and Florida received after being slammed by Harvey and Irma. Water, food and fuel have been scarce, mobile towers are knocked out, and the weather radar has been destroyed by Hurricane Maria, making it hard to forecast new storms.
US government responds to the disaster
The Puerto Ricans have been complaining about the federal government's reluctant response. However, according to US President Donald Trump, the reason for the slow response is the fact that Puerto Rico is an Island and supplies can only be flown or transported by ships.
The federal government has sent food, water, and other necessary supplies to the Island.
"We are using air support when we can't get through, we are cleaning the roads regularly, we have expanded greatly, probably 90% of the Island is accessible now," said Elaine Duke. Though Donald Trump remained silent throughout the weekend, he broke his silence on Tuesday night by tweeting about Puerto Rico's troubled recent history, broken infrastructure, and massive debt.
Despite the fact that Puerto Rico's government is broke, they sheltered some of the Florida residents when they were hit by Irma and they deserve help in return.
President Trump told reporters that he would travel to Island on October 3, but that the response in Puerto Rico will be tougher than that of Texas and Florida.
