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Puerto Rico: One Month Later

Miggytronz

Miggytronz

Member
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico is approaching ONE MONTH without full power, water and cell service restoration. Give aid wherever you can. I sent a small box of batteries two weeks ago to my family in Sabana Grande and it’s still showing as in transit and I paid for 3 day shipping. Me and my brother are also donating $1000 to our family so they can acquire generators from Walmart or Home Depot in Ponce if and when they get stock. Hell I have a personal friend who has yet to communicate with his aunt in San Sebastián. I’ve reached out to many people and organizations helping there with no reply. Death toll is still set at 48 but reports are that it should be at hundreds. There are so many people who are helping and so many that need help now and in the unforseeable future.

Please spread the word. I feel as though the Crysis in PR is now behind everyone who isn’t Puerto Rican.

For those affected how are things for you now?
 
What's the best way to send money to PR? Is there a way to be certain that it'll be immediately used for disaster recovery?
 
epmode said:
What's the best way to send money to PR? Is there a way to be certain that it'll be immediately used for disaster recovery?
Click to expand...

My brother is a professor at LSU and he helped kickstart the ‘LSU Cajun Relief Initiative’. He’s already had 3 large shipments sent via charter jet to Puerto Rico.

https://www.youcaring.com/hurricanemariareliefinpuertorico-965460

But he’s one in hundreds of people actually delivering goods to the island. A lot of celebrities have youcaring accounts set up for donations. My local Puerto Rican food spot is sending 3 large containers, they just need $50k to actually get them shipped.
 
Talking with my cousin who is a doctor in San Juan. She just sent me a picture of how she uses LED lanterns in her place at night. Luckily she is starting to get cell reception, so she charges everything at work before she leaves.

It's honestly a national embarrassment.
 
It's truly disgusting that a country could be left without no power and others just sit there and watch.
 
Don't forget the US Virgin Islands!! Same situation as PR. I work in education and we are starting school next week without a lot of materials so our students can definitely use help as well.
 
Veon said:
It's truly disgusting that a country could be left without no power and others just sit there and watch.
Click to expand...

Puerto Rico is not a country, it's US territory. Which actually makes this even worse.

I've been able to speak with my mom out in PR and she's able to get decent cell phone signal now at night, which is a big improvement. But conditions are still pretty dire. Still no electricity, many roads are still uncleared, and clean water is in such high demand that you're limited to 5 packages for purchase, if they're even in stock.
 
Veon said:
It's truly disgusting that a country could be left without no power and others just sit there and watch.
Click to expand...

It's only been a month. You really expected full power within a month? Jesus Christ hurricane Wilma knocked out power for 2 weeks in Florida and it wasn't even a devastated region. Of course it's going to take longer.

Not sure what people in this thread expected really. Maybe you guys have never lived through a natural disaster.
 
ChainedMaster said:
It's only been a month. You really expected full power within a month? Jesus Christ hurricane Wilma knocked out power for 2 weeks in Florida and it wasn't even a devastated region. Of course it's going to take longer.

Not sure what people in this thread expected really. Maybe you guys have never lived through a natural disaster.
Click to expand...

Replacing the power grid takes time.
 
Veon said:
It's truly disgusting that a country could be left without no power and others just sit there and watch.
Click to expand...

I doubt most people even know whats going on, much less that Puerto Rico is part of the USA. I don't think its been mentioned at all on local TV news channels in the past few days, and quickly browing the top pages of CNN, MSNBC, etc shows almost no articles about Puerto Rico.

Sure, more Americans could go out and get the information themselves but isn't it the job of the news media to publicize this sort of continuing national tragedy? The top CNN news stories are about Harvey Weinstein, Trump, and how "Russian trolls paid for self defense classes for African-Americans to sow fear".
 
tearsintherain said:
I doubt most people even know whats going on, much less that Puerto Rico is part of the USA. I don't think its been mentioned at all on local TV news channels in the past few days, and quickly browing the top pages of CNN, MSNBC, etc shows almost no articles about Puerto Rico.

Sure, more Americans could go out and get the information themselves but isn't it the job of the news media to publicize this sort of continuing national tragedy? The top CNN news stories are about Harvey Weinstein, Trump, and how "Russian trolls paid for self defense classes for African-Americans to sow fear".
Click to expand...

NPR was talking to a FEMA dude in PR this morning.
 
shira said:
>Trump: Have a good time

I still can't believe he said this
Click to expand...

Yes you can, just today he gave himself a 10 rating for the government response to Puerto Rico, then boxed in the governor to praise the government for their response on camera.

That's what counts here, not actually helping people, just his own ego.
 
demosthenes said:
Replacing the power grid takes time.
Click to expand...

The fact that it is an island should also not be downplayed. When you have a natural disaster that knocks out power on the continental US, you can pull equipment and their crews very fast from all across the country. They can just drive there. On an island, all that stuff has to go to a port, be loaded onto a ship, transit to the island, get a space in a busy port stretched beyond its capacity to unload, and then unload. So the initial response is going to have to be done with just local resources. All the heavy equipment needed to rebuild that island just can't drive their on a flatbed truck.
 
I've heard from some family in Bayamon who are safe. The others, an aunt and many cousins who live in the rural and mountainous areas, we still have no word from.

My other aunt who lives in Pennsylvania has been organizing food drives every single week to take over there. We donate money we don't have so that it might hopefully ease some suffering. Our people drink from polluted water and have to endure the smell of dead animals and the sting and nuisance of insects.

Meanwhile that Comfort hospital ship, sits nearly empty. Trump refuses to grant helicopter supply drops into mountainous regions because the roads washed away or are buried under mudslides. And even if the people did have money to pay for something, they'd pay twice as much as mainlanders because of The Jones Act.

I'm not sure I want Puerto Rico to be part of the United States anymore. Doesn't seem like Americans in power want us to be anyway.
 
Trump: I rate myself 10 on handling Puerto Rico.

President Trump on Thursday gave himself a perfect rating for his response to the hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico.

“I would give myself a 10,” Trump said when asked by reporters how he would score his efforts, on a 1-10 scale.

Trump spoke during a meeting with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, who is in Washington to push the federal government to provide disaster relief for the island.

“We have provided so much, so fast,” Trump said, adding the disaster was in Puerto Rico was "worse than Katrina."

MAGA, libs!
 
Mikasangelos said:
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico is approaching ONE MONTH without full power, water and cell service restoration. Give aid wherever you can. I sent a small box of batteries two weeks ago to my family in Sabana Grande and it’s still showing as in transit and I paid for 3 day shipping. Me and my brother are also donating $1000 to our family so they can acquire generators from Walmart or Home Depot in Ponce if and when they get stock. Hell I have a personal friend who has yet to communicate with his aunt in San Sebastián. I’ve reached out to many people and organizations helping there with no reply. Death toll is still set at 48 but reports are that it should be at hundreds. There are so many people who are helping and so many that need help now and in the unforseeable future.

Please spread the word. I feel as though the Crysis in PR is now behind everyone who isn’t Puerto Rican.

For those affected how are things for you now?
Click to expand...

I'm sorry to be that guy, but do you think anything sent in the mail is going to get there? If it's post apocalyptic as has been reported, some places still can't be reached. And even if they can, whose to say at some point your stuff was stolen and sold? I've heard rumors of widespread corruption.
 
Shadow Puppetry said:
Trump: I rate myself 10 on handling Puerto Rico.

President Trump on Thursday gave himself a perfect rating for his response to the hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico.

“I would give myself a 10,” Trump said when asked by reporters how he would score his efforts, on a 1-10 scale.

Trump spoke during a meeting with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, who is in Washington to push the federal government to provide disaster relief for the island.

“We have provided so much, so fast,” Trump said, adding the disaster was in Puerto Rico was "worse than Katrina."

MAGA, libs!
Click to expand...


Haha, I'm convinced Trump has the brain of a child. Only a child would highly rate themselves for a job they completely didn't contribute anything to.
 
Shadow Puppetry said:
Trump: I rate myself 10 on handling Puerto Rico.

President Trump on Thursday gave himself a perfect rating for his response to the hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico.

“I would give myself a 10,” Trump said when asked by reporters how he would score his efforts, on a 1-10 scale.

Trump spoke during a meeting with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, who is in Washington to push the federal government to provide disaster relief for the island.

“We have provided so much, so fast,” Trump said, adding the disaster was in Puerto Rico was "worse than Katrina."

MAGA, libs!
Click to expand...

He didn't even turn it up to an 11? Sad!
 
Xyrmellon said:
I'm sorry to be that guy, but do you think anything sent in the mail is going to get there? If it's post apocalyptic as has been reported, some places still can't be reached. And even if they can, whose to say at some point your stuff was stolen and sold? I've heard rumors of widespread corruption.
Click to expand...

Oh I know the risks. Hell the risks was bad before Maria. Now it’s beyond worse. USPS has stated that they are in almost full swing. But they are ridiculously swamped I’m sure from backlog. We were going to buy generators and have them shipped but we fear they would get there months later or not at all. Hence why we’re donating money directly toy family.
 
Rosselló isn’t even on the island. He’s apparently here in the US while his wife gives birth to their child and he has some meetings with officials in DC.
 
Veon said:
It's truly disgusting that a country could be left without no power and others just sit there and watch.
Click to expand...

In parts of Florida during Irma we were without power for a week solid and we didn't get hit nearly as bad as they did. They got destroyed.

Also PR isn't a country.
 
I heard that sending physical goods is a logistical nightmare and it's preferable to donate money. I've already donated and will probably give more on my next paycheck.
 
Damage Inc said:
In parts of Florida during Irma we were without power for a week solid and we didn't get hit nearly as bad as they did. They got destroyed.

Also PR isn't a country.
Click to expand...
And Florida had an absolute abundance of resources to repair that infrastructure. Would like to see a hard count on the number of line trucks that were at the ready. FL was also lucky that the storm wasn't as severe as it was scheduled to be.

I had family in Puerto Rico call to say they finally had power and phone service (obviously.) One of only a handful of buildings in the entire town with power. However, they lost water again at their home.
 
OmniGamer said:
Trump blatantly fishing for compliments from Roselló...and Roselló happily playing along. This whole meeting is a farce.
Click to expand...

bob_arctor said:
Roselló willingly used like a fucking lapdog. Disgusting.
Click to expand...

Why is that guys being such a tool? Was he installed there by his party or something?

The other Mayor (mrs. Cruz) has had more balls on this subject. I guess PR people cant watch his dumbass just nod away and make believe everything is ok back home.
 
A fellow gaffer from Caguas. I finally have cellphone signal at the place I live, though the signal itself isnt very strong as things like browsing the internet or using social media apps take ages to load.

Thankfully we never ran out of water, though obviously we dont have power. I dont expect there to be power for at least 2 to 3 more months.

Hurricane Maria was humbling, an experience I hope to never go through again. Hopefully we learn from this, and modernize the infrastructure to better cope with an hurricane of this magnitude. I fear that with global warming we might get hit by fiercer and stronger hurricanes in the future more often, we need to be ready by then.
 
I still dont have power or cell service. Supermarkets are running low on food as well, so I've been eating out everyday. Still can't find ice either. I'm from Mayaguez btw.
 
Error said:
A fellow gaffer from Caguas. I finally have cellphone signal at the place I live, though the signal itself isnt very strong as things like browsing the internet or using social media apps take ages to load.

Thankfully we never ran out of water, though obviously we dont have power. I dont expect there to be power for at least 2 to 3 more months.

Hurricane Maria was humbling, an experience I hope to never go through again. Hopefully we learn from this, and modernize the infrastructure to better cope with an hurricane of this magnitude. I fear that with global warming we might get hit by fiercer and stronger hurricanes in the future more often, we need to be ready by then.
Click to expand...

My partner is in Caguas, we usually stay there when in PR. He went to help check in on his mom(in Canovanas), and take care of some of our business matters until things improve and we both go back there. He's been there since the 5th of this month and is flying back on Nov. 5. Right off the bat, some things he travelled with (2 big 27gal. sized totes, 1 for him and 1 for a friend) were stolen from the airport...they took batteries, water, etc. That was infuriating.

Communication is very strained...most phone calls are spotty and get cut off. Cellular internet is just as bad, but when it's decent, he gets to send me pics. Store shelves were pretty bare, as expected. One bright spot has been Costco...though the first time he tried, their generator blew...the next day, even though the line was enormous, he was able to get 2 40-bottle cases of water(the limit per member per day), and again the next day. So he was able to share some water with his mom, and with the mother of a worker who helped us renovate in Arecibo.

He told me the AT&T store on Road 1 in the Bairoa neighborhood had WiFi, and was letting people charge their devices for up to an hour.

In his apartment he has water(pressure fluctuates), but obviously no power. He picked up the little 3-burner stove and propane tank we had in Arecibo while working over there...so he's been able to make a few home cooked meals, but at first, he had to endure the massive line at Burger King.
 
ChainedMaster said:
It's only been a month. You really expected full power within a month? Jesus Christ hurricane Wilma knocked out power for 2 weeks in Florida and it wasn't even a devastated region. Of course it's going to take longer.

Not sure what people in this thread expected really. Maybe you guys have never lived through a natural disaster.
Click to expand...

main problem is mixed messages from big man child, makes people believe govt is not doing anything to help...

obviously when whole island is almost destroyed, it is impossible to restore everything in a month or two... it will take years to rebuild all the roads. How long did it take to rebuild New Orleans? It had none of the logistical problems and I think i have read last year how 25% of properties are still vacated.
 
I'm in northwest PR. Things are slowly getting better. Still no power in my neighborhood though more and more areas are getting power back in my municipality. Running water comes and goes all the time still.

I JUST got back reception here in my area, whereas before I had to drive to neighboring municipalities to get reception.

Classes at my university start back up on the 30th of this month. It's about a 45-minute drive for me, and many roads on the way are still bad to drive on or don't have working traffic lights. Regardless, it should still be manageable for myself. I have no idea how students from the more central, rural parts of the island will manage...

Irrespective of Trump's comments, the biggest bottleneck to aid reaching those in need is local distribution and corruption. Almost nobody is complaining about the federal response.
 
Darknight said:
Why is that guys being such a tool? Was he installed there by his party or something?

The other Mayor (mrs. Cruz) has had more balls on this subject. I guess PR people cant watch his dumbass just nod away and make believe everything is ok back home.
Click to expand...
Most people around me think Carmen Yulín Cruz is a dumbass and a hypocrite.
 
I am from northwest PR, but 16 days ago I was pulled from there to Florida due to my work, so I haven't seen the mess directly for the past two weeks. Everything I read points to it getting worse than better.
 
GYODX said:
I'm in northwest PR. Things are slowly getting better. Still no power in my neighborhood though more and more areas are getting power back in my municipality. Running water comes and goes all the time still.

I JUST got back reception here in my area, whereas before I had to drive to neighboring municipalities to get reception.

Classes at my university start back up on the 30th of this month. It's about a 45-minute drive for me, and many roads on the way are still bad to drive on or don't have working traffic lights. Regardless, it should still be manageable for myself. I have no idea how students from the more central, rural parts of the island will manage...

Irrespective of Trump's comments, the biggest bottleneck to aid reaching those in need is local distribution and corruption. Almost nobody is complaining about the federal response.
Click to expand...

Aid is already here. Trust me, I work at the airport for one of the shipping companies and there is enough food for everyone. The bad thing here is that the local mayor have control of the relief and are not getting them to where it's supposed to go. Just this week the ARMY got control of the relief and things are getting a bit better.

Just yesterday I received running water for the first time since the hurricane.... For a whole hour. Yup. 1 hour total since Maria passed. And I live in Aguadilla which is supposed to be one of the major cities in the Island. They are giving out MRE's but have millions upon millions of donated food and water sitting there in the airport. They gave us ONE gallon of water for my whole family. I am lucky enough to work for an amazing company which has taken care of my family and me, but the local response to the hurricane has been horrible so far.
 
GYODX said:
Most people around me think Carmen Yulín Cruz is a dumbass and a hypocrite.
Click to expand...
Yulin can't even clean up her own city, she's using the crisis to further her bid for governor thats all shes doing,its laugh worthy how much she loves the USA now and how proud she is of her US citizenship when she has demostrated time and time again how much she hates big bad US and loves the Chavez/Maduro regime
 
dionysus said:
The fact that it is an island should also not be downplayed. When you have a natural disaster that knocks out power on the continental US, you can pull equipment and their crews very fast from all across the country. They can just drive there. On an island, all that stuff has to go to a port, be loaded onto a ship, transit to the island, get a space in a busy port stretched beyond its capacity to unload, and then unload. So the initial response is going to have to be done with just local resources. All the heavy equipment needed to rebuild that island just can't drive their on a flatbed truck.
Click to expand...

People are missing this point for sure. Being an island makes everything that much harder since you can just send help and supplies by road. We had food and gas being restocked from unaffected areas in Houston as soon as the roads cleared up after Harvey. You can’t do that in PR.
 
It's been stated a few times how there's been less FEMA/Military personnel on the ground in PR in certain similar timeframes than compared to Haiti after the earthquake...which(as part of Hispaniola) is an island, and also is not a U.S. territory...I think the "it's an island...surrounded by water, BIG water" angle is overplayed.
 
GYODX said:
I'm in northwest PR. Things are slowly getting better. Still no power in my neighborhood though more and more areas are getting power back in my municipality. Running water comes and goes all the time still.

I JUST got back reception here in my area, whereas before I had to drive to neighboring municipalities to get reception.

Classes at my university start back up on the 30th of this month. It's about a 45-minute drive for me, and many roads on the way are still bad to drive on or don't have working traffic lights. Regardless, it should still be manageable for myself. I have no idea how students from the more central, rural parts of the island will manage...

Irrespective of Trump's comments, the biggest bottleneck to aid reaching those in need is local distribution and corruption. Almost nobody is complaining about the federal response.
Click to expand...
Why is the federal response even relying on local distribution? I’m surprised that nobody would be complaining about that. I mean if you guys are happy with the federal response so far......whatever I guess.

Texas had four times as many FEMA workers helping with aid than Puerto Rico. Florida had three times as many FEMA workers etc.

Personally I would be upset with that and that the federal government isn’t doing more to help distribute the aid.
 
Chumly said:
Why is the federal response even relying on local distribution? I’m surprised that nobody would be complaining about that. I mean if you guys are happy with the federal response so far......whatever I guess.

Texas had four times as many FEMA workers helping with aid than Puerto Rico. Florida had three times as many FEMA workers etc.

Personally I would be upset with that and that the federal government isn’t doing more to help distribute the aid.
Click to expand...
Many Puerto Ricans don't feel they are owed anything by the federal government and are more immediately concerned about reports of local corruption.

http://dailycaller.com/2017/10/18/f...based-on-loyalty-video/?utm_source=site-share

https://weather.com/news/news/puerto-rico-power-whitefish

When people in my hometown of Aguadilla see tons of food and supplies being flown in on a daily basis (Aguadilla is home to one of the two major airports on the island) but don't see a single one of those supplies trickle down to them, their initial reaction isn't to ask themselves why FEMA isn't doing more to distribute them. Maybe it should be, but it isn't.
 
Just found out one of my great uncles over there is alive but starving and he has no water. The man who found him for us is a friend of the family, who also has family in Puerto Rico. His uncle died from drinking contaminated water.

I don't know what to say any more.
 
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