General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Streets Are 'Not Safe' -- San Juan Is Forgotten By the U.S.
The island is not just trying to recover, its trying to reconnect with the rest of the world. The situation is disastrous and they are begging for more help.
PABLO VENES
09.24.17 9:03 PM ET
SAN JUAN, Puerto RicoOn this American island still suffering terribly from mighty Hurricane Marias devastating impact, the feeling of despair and anxiety is now mixed with fear at night, when looters rule the streets.
Hector Velez owns one of the seven gas station near San German, a municipality on the southwest part of the island. Half of the rooftop of his gas station was stripped away by Hurricane Maria but the storm didnt cause most of damage he now has to deal with.
Why would they do that to me? Everyone knows me around here. Ive always been nice to my clients, Velez told The Daily Beast as he looked at shattered windows and emptied food racks.
Link to tweet
After seeing all the damage his station suffered from looters, Velez decided not to open, punishing everyone in the community, many of whom were looking desperately for gas. It breaks my heart, but I need to be calm about this. I cant believe how people are so harsh. Is this nobodys land now? Velez wondered, and estimated that he will have to invest about $17,000 to reopen.
more
http://www.thedailybeast.com/in-puerto-rico-after-hurricane-maria-the-desperate-struggle-to-survive
delisen
(6,042 posts)be pressured to force the Trump administration to act immediately.
The staff person of my Republican senator (and Trump supporter) was very defensive.
3.5 million American citizens in the middle of a disaster.
FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)A few days without power and civilized law abiding folks become animals & barbarians.
Civilization is hideously fragile... theres not much between us and the Horrors underneath, just about a coat of varnish. ~C.P. Snow
roamer65
(36,745 posts)spanone
(135,823 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)just getting destroyed sea and air ports open so they can get workers and the beginnings of supplies onto the islands.
But we know that even if FEMA, as well as its various underlying agencies, was well run it couldn't work miracles, and it's not well run and not adequately funded. In fact, the Repubs planned budget includes an additional $876 million CUT to FEMA disaster relief.
Meanwhile, congress is controlled by megawealthy conservatives focused on gutting government's ability to need national needs and cutting taxes into the bone. They are determined to empty as much of our national kitty into their pockets as possible, and expending enormous national sums gathered through mandatory taxation on rebuilding those islands for their residents is exactly the kind of thing they are determined to stop.