hurricane maria in puerto rico

Question 1

date and storm details:

Answer 1

-20th september 2017
-category 4
-windspeed: 155 mph
-storm surge: 1.8m-2.7m along eastern coast, 0.6m-1.3m along northern coast
-rainfall: 96.3cm

Question 2

factors making puerto rico vunerable?

Answer 2

-almost half of the residents lived below poverty line
-facing a recession over a decade before maria hit
-unemployment rate was more than double national level

Question 3

key social impacts:

Answer 3

-65 deaths- direct and 2975 indirect deaths
-children and young children are particularly prone to psychological impacts of the disaster
-6 months after the storm many were still without power

Question 4

key economic impacts:

Answer 4

-caused 73.4 billion in damages
-£607 million loss in agricultiural yeilds
-$90 billions to puerto rico
-local economy devestated as people lost their livley hoods

Question 5

key environmental impacts:

Answer 5

-30% of the trees in puerto rico are estimated to be destroyed
- a significant carbon sink has been destroyed
-increase nitrate in water: could cause nausea, blue baby syndrome

Question 6

preperations:

Answer 6

-NHC minitored the storm as it developed and moved westwards across the atlantic
-info from hurricane hunters and the dropsonde data was shared with all agencies
-FEMA were totally unprepared for a disaster of this magnitude- not enough food etc
-FEMA emergency workers were empitied by the response to the virgin islands 2 weeks before
-prior to maria landfall, hundreds of shelters were set up and evacuation orders were given

Question 7

rehabilitation:

Answer 7

-FEMA worked to provide victims with housing assistance to help repair homes - could provide up to 33,000
-on average, FEMA has provided around $2,974 in individual housing assistance on the island
-mercy corps distributed 5000 solar lanterns and 2500 water filters to thousands of families

Question 8

reconstruction:

Answer 8

-puerto ricans worked hard to restore their shops as quickly as possible, and today the island is open for business.
-training and supplies from mercy corps
-residents of the US territory were able to apply for aid through FEMA
-2 months after strom, 60% were without power
-although repairs were completed most houses only had temporary fixes and blue tarps for roofs