Maria’s Fury Hampers Repairs and Restoration of Services in Puerto Rico

By David E. Hubler
Contributor, EDM Digest

Although Hurricane Maria is well past Puerto Rico now, this hurricane caused profound damage and disruptions throughout the island. Repairs to essential services such as power, communications and water are not expected to be fully complete for weeks, if not months.

Flooding Makes Relief Efforts Difficult in Puerto Rico

“Hurricane Maria left behind engorged rivers, blown-out windows, sheared roofs, toppled trees and an obliterated electric grid that cut power to every one of the island’s 3.4 million people,” the Miami Herald reported.

In addition, BBC News said that the severe flooding has caused the Guajataca Dam, located in northwest Puerto Rico, to burst. Authorities have warned residents in the Isabela and Quebradillas municipalities of life-threatening flash flood emergencies and advise people in areas anywhere near the Guajataca River to move to higher ground as quickly as possible.

Telephone and social media services are sporadic at best. A large portion of the island also lacks fresh water.

A curfew is in effect from Wednesday, September 20 at 6 p.m. (local time) through Saturday, September 23 at 6 a.m. (local time). The curfew means that only authorized government personnel, members of the press or people attending to an emergency will be allowed on the streets during these times.

Puerto Ricans in the US Await News of Their Relatives

Many Puerto Ricans in the United States have been unable to contact their loved ones back home. To help, the federal government has posted a list of numbers for people to call and learn the latest developments.

How to Reach Family Members and Friends

• Find family and friends via the American Red Cross website.
• Write the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration at maria1@prfaa.pr.gov. They are experiencing a high volume of emails, so please do not send more than one email unless the situation of your loved one has changed.
• Call the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration at 202-800-3133.
• Call the Puerto Rican radio station WIPR at 787-777-0940.

If you want to try to reach first responders and relief organizations in Puerto Rico, you can try the emergency numbers listed below. But do not expect to get through easily or quickly.

Emergency Numbers

• Agencia Estatal para el Manejo Emergencias y Administración Desastres (AEMEAD): 787-724-0124
• Puerto Rico Police Force: 787-343-2020
• Cuerpo de Bomberos de Puerto Rico (Fire Department): 787-343-2330
• American Red Cross: 787-757-8150
• Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AAA): 787-620-2482
• Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica (AEE): 787-521-3434
• Transportation Department  (DTOP): 787-787-9918 and 787-225-1539