Emergency Management - Puerto Rico

miamifoundation.org - by BETTY CORTINA-WEISS - May 16, 2018

 . . . Yet, despite these unthinkable challenges, people are coming together in tireless and inspired efforts to help their neighbors and their communities, Karla said. While addressing immediate needs, Mercy Corps has also been working with local partners, to arm community centers – important gathering points where people seek shelter, receive aid and participate in events – with the tools and support they need. Now, with funding from Walmart and the Walmart Puerto Rico Relief Fund administered by The Miami Foundation, Mercy Corps is transforming 15 of these centers into “resilience hubs,” an important step toward laying the groundwork for Puerto Rico’s future preparation and recovery.

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cnn.com - by John D. Sutter - additional reporting by Cristian Arroyo - photograph by Jayme Gershen for CNN - April 20, 2018

With no running water, no power and no school for her kids, Carmen "Millie" Santiago fled Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria hit the Caribbean last fall. Like thousands of evacuees, she landed here in central Florida. And, like hundreds, she's still stuck in a motel.

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A general view shows buildings after Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), the island's power company, said Wednesday that a major power line failure in southern Puerto Rico cut electricity to almost all customers, in San Juan, Puerto Rico April 18, 2018. REUTERS/Gabriel Lopez Albarran

cnn.com - by Ray Sanchez and Leyla Santiago - April 18, 2018

With most of Puerto Rico in the dark Wednesday night, Gov. Ricardo Rossello said in a tweet that he has suggested Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority cancel its contract with a subcontractor that caused an island-wide power outage.

An excavator operated by D. Grimm, a subcontractor for Cobra Acquisitions, apparently caused the blackout, which originated at a major transmission line running between Salinas and Guayama in the southeast, according to the authority . . .

 . . . As of 8 p.m., only 334,000 customers in the US commonwealth had electricity again. Power was to be restored to customers who had electricity before the latest outage within 24 to 36 hours, the authority said.

Stack of school papers on a desk in an empty classroom in Puerto Rico.

cnn.com - by Nicole Chavez - April 6, 2018

Puerto Rico is closing 283 schools this summer following a sharp drop in enrollment in the past year, officials said.

Since May, schools have lost 38,762 students as the US territory works to rebuild following a devastating hurricane last year, the education department said in a statement.

"Half of the existing schools are at 60% of their capacity," it said. The department said only 828 schools will reopen in August.

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