Far from recovery
Puerto Rico six months after Hurricane Maria
When Hurricane Maria made landfall on September 20, 2017, it caused widespread devastation across Puerto Rico, killing as many as 1,052 people, destroying hundreds of thousands of homes, causing an island-wide blackout, and blocking over half of the 3.4 million residents from access to potable water.
At the six month mark, the situation remains critical, particularly for those displaced from their homes, vulnerable populations, and rural communities. With hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans still living without access to the electric grid, and tens of thousands displaced from the island and living in the United States, recovery for a great many is a distant dream, and basic needs are still not met.
This report provides an overview of conditions on the ground as of March 2018, reviews the underlying vulnerability of the island, and offers recommendations for a way forward to a more equitable recovery.