Aid begins to flow to hurricane-hit Puerto Rico

[DonViejo]

Source: Associated Press




By ASSOCIATED PRESS 09/23/2017 11:01 PM EDT

Large amounts of federal aid began moving into Puerto Rico on Saturday, welcomed by local officials who praised the Trump administration's response but called for the emergency loosening of rules long blamed for condemning the U.S. territory to second-class status.

In northwest Puerto Rico, people began returning to their homes after a spillway eased pressure on a dam that cracked after more than a foot of rain fell in the wake of the hurricane.

The opening of the island's main port in the capital allowed 11 ships to bring in 1.6 million gallons of water, 23,000 cots, dozens of generators and food. Dozens more shipments are expected in upcoming days.

The federal aid effort is racing to stem a growing humanitarian crisis in towns left without fresh water, fuel, electricity or phone service. Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is in charge of the relief effort, said they would take satellite phones to all of Puerto Rico's towns and cities, more than half of which were cut off following Maria's devastating crossing of Puerto Rico on Wednesday.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/23/puerto-rico-aid-hurricane-flooding-243061

[Submariner]

1. Thanks Obama

President Obama took a broken FEMA (Heck of a job Brownie-R) and built it up to the much more efficient system that it is today.

Dump will of course take all the credit, but the truth is what matters.


Thanks Obama.

[dalton99a]

2. +1

[Man_Bear_Pig]

6. +2

[Bayard]

3. I never have understood

Why are Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, etc., still, "territories"? What's the point, except to keep them a step below a "real" state? They've been like the poor step-children long enough.

[DonViejo]

5. The GOP doesn't want anymore Democratic voters, plus;...

Puerto Rico is not "English-only." While campaigning in the GOP Presidential primary in 2011, Santorum was introduced by the then Speaker of Puerto Rican House; during a followup Q & A, Santorum was asked if he supported statehood, he responded, "speak English and then it will happen." The Speaker of the House withdrew his endorsement right after the Q & A.

[hack89]

7. The people in those territories have to choose stahehood first

so far they have not.

[Sunlei]

4. Thank you Obama for the improvements & upgrades to Americas federal/state/local disaster planning.

the current republican federal government people are understaffed, under-trained, under experienced, lazy and a bit slowwww.......

but it should be easy enough for them to follow the directions & policies the Obama administration created.