The devastating Hurricane Fiona that swept across the Commonwealth of Puerto Rio unleashed torrential rains, washing out roads and damaging infrastructure and the electric grid that had just begun to recover from Hurricane Maria nearly five years ago. Recovery efforts are now underway in the most challenging of circumstances: washed out roads, no electricity and no potable water, as the Associated Press reports:
"Hurricane Fiona struck Puerto Rico’s southwest coast on Sunday as it unleashed landslides, knocked the power grid out and ripped up asphalt from roads and flung the pieces around.
Hundreds of people were evacuated or rescued across the island as floodwaters rose swiftly. Rushing rivers of brown water enveloped cars, first floors and even an airport runway in the island’s southern region.
Forecasters said the storm threatened to dump “historic” levels of rain on Sunday and Monday, with up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) possible in eastern and southern Puerto Rico.
'The damages that we are seeing are catastrophic,' said Gov. Pedro Pierluisi.
The storm washed away a bridge in the central mountain town of Utuado that police say was installed by the National Guard after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017. Large landslides also were reported, with water rushing down big slabs of broken asphalt and into gullies." (our emphasis)
Acting quickly, the Biden Administration issued an emergency declaration yesterday as the storm approached Puerto Rico, careful not to repeat the slow and politically-influenced response by the Malignant Loser, who demanded that Puerto Rican authorities bow to him as he tossed rolls of paper towels to citizens. It was many months before any semblance of electrical power was minimally restored, as the Malignant Loser watched his fellow citizens suffer, with no voting Congressional representation.
Emergency rescue and recovery efforts must now proceed at an unprecedented level, to show our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico that they are valued, and that we are one nation.
(photo: a washed-out bridge in Puerto Rico. BBC News)
