Puerto Rico's electrical grid was so decimated by last year's Hurricane Maria that even a relatively minor storm in the upcoming hurricane season could have devastating consequences, officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Despite a $3.8 billion effort to restore the grid, Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello said it remains "highly fragile and vulnerable" and could be damaged even more severely than before.
This year's hurricane season starts in June, and is sure to bring turbulent weather to the island of 3.3 million citizens, but even a minor storm could become serious as a result of the poor restoration efforts. "Even if it's a [Category 1]" storm, the grid is "going to lose power. I don't know for how long," Puerto Rico's public safety commissioner told AP.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Puerto Rico is still reeling from Hurricane Maria, which new research estimates led to more than 4,500 deaths. Federal officials say the recovery effort was the biggest in history, but local lawmakers dispute the claim that FEMA and other agencies did efficient work to get the island back up and running. Officials are bracing for the upcoming hurricane season, warning Puerto Ricans to gather supplies and prepare to survive for up to 10 days without help. Read more at The Associated Press.
-
August 23 editorial cartoonsCartoons Saturday's political cartoons include deficit dimness, steamroller-in-chief, and more
-
5 museum-grade cartoons about Trump's Smithsonian purgeCartoons Artists take on institutional rebranding, exhibit interpretation, and more
-
Settling the West Bank: a death knell for a Palestine state?In the Spotlight The reality on the ground is that the annexation of the West Bank is all but a done deal
-
Massive earthquake sends tsunami across PacificSpeed Read Hundreds of thousands of people in Japan and Hawaii were told to evacuate to higher ground
-
FEMA Urban Search and Rescue chief resignsSpeed Read Ken Pagurek has left the organization, citing 'chaos'
-
Wildfires destroy historic Grand Canyon lodgeSpeed Read Dozens of structures on the North Rim have succumbed to the Dragon Bravo Fire
-
Search for survivors continues after Texas floodsSpeed Read A total of 82 people are confirmed dead, including 28 children
-
EPA is reportedly killing Energy Star programspeed read The program for energy-efficient home appliances has saved consumers billions in energy costs since its 1992 launch
-
US proposes eroding species protectionsSpeed Read The Trump administration wants to change the definition of 'harm' in the Environmental Protection Act to allow habitat damage
-
Severe storms kill dozens across central USSpeed Read At least 40 people were killed over the weekend by tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms
-
Rain helps Los Angeles wildfires, risks mudslidesSpeed Read The weather provided relief for crews working to contain wildfires, though rain over a burn area ups the chances of flooding and mudslides
