Puerto Rico Disaster
 

Puerto Rico is devastated. People are desperate for water and food and I see that nobody cares. Well, that is not quite true because there are hundreds of people who are trying to help them, but has anyone heard our elected officials comment on this devastation.

We are all more concerned about kneeling football players ..... please let's get our priorities in order.

I share that sentiment. Very tough to watch videos of that devastation.

:BigApplause::BigApplause::BigApplause:

Many are saddened and worried about them and about the devastation and death left by the earthquakes in Mexico.

You can't hear the sound of our prayers because many are silent ones. Nor know the quiet acts of help by many.

There were no choices made in these natural acts of disaster so nothing to rail against, only to be saddened by.

Humans want to blame someone when they are angered or worried.

I don't know what "elected official" you are seeking to hear from - but - here in the NY area Gov Cuomo is all over the news -
cuomo j lo puerto rico - Bing

And a variety of news outlets have been providing coverage of the President's concern for Puerto Rico -
trump puerto rico - Bing

I am wondering where ANY foreign aid has been provided for/to the victims of Harvey, Irma and Maria!

Concern is one thing. What concrete action is being taken? Not hearing much about that.

The already weak economy will not withstand this disaster. I look for many, many, many people who live in Puerto Rico to move to Florida and possibly The Villages.


Hot, isolated, and running out of supplies, parts of Puerto Rico near desperation

New York Gov. Cuomo pledges state aid effort for Puerto Rico - NY Daily News

Aid begins to flow to hurricane-hit Puerto Rico – Twin Cities

When trump gets there maybe more help will come with him. Anyone know when he is scheduled to visit Puerto Rico?

Thanks for the updates. I understand Cuomo--his state has a very large Puerto Rican population. I'm just wondering what the Federal government might do. Puerto Rico is part of us.

Yes, I was very wrong to have overlooked Gov. Cuomo, he has been excellent and very caring. He was also on the Virgin Islands immediately after their hurricane. He is a good man.

Now over three hundred deaths reported in Mexico and they are not done combing through the rubble. God help them.

Mexico death toll rises to 324

I believe there is a lot being done. I am in touch with several people there and there has been quite a bit of US aid already in place. Part of the delay is caused because most stuff must be brought in by ship and docking facilities have been damaged. I have a sail boat in Fajardo and have been talking to several different folks I know in that area. I have offered to go down and help, but the issue is getting around once you are there. As soon as I can I will be going down.

I found these articles on a quick internet search:
Federal response in Puerto Rico to Hurricane Maria slowly takes shape - NewsChannel 5 Nashville
Aid reaches Puerto Rico after Maria as threat from cracked dam recedes | World news | The Guardian
Aid begins to flow to hurricane-hit Puerto Rico - POLITICO
$1B OK'd for Puerto Rico hurricane aid, but governor says he'll seek more | Fox News

I wish I could find the video I saw this morning with the Gov of P.R. telling the reporter that the island nation needs so much more than hurricane assistance because of the fiscal crisis it was in before the storm; and he need the U.S. to come through with a lot of money to resolve that crisis, too!

I looked for and could not find where any international aid/assistance had been sent re victims of Harvey and Irma and Maria.

During the past hour we have received word from 6 out of 7 family members in Puerto Rico. They have water and are eating but as you can imagine it's rough now. So excited to hear from them forgot to ask about the house. Very grateful.

GLAD TO HEAR. So happy for you and Priscilla.

Might be that it is old news. Do you hear about Fl and Tx.

Assistance is being supplied.

Thanks for those. I had not heard anything on the national news.

I was watching a video on FB today and it showed where thousands of people were at an airport waiting to get out. The news said these people were in the airport for days already waiting for flights. There was one plane there that could hold 200 people, which wouldn't even put a dent in the amount of people waiting. They were hot and had no food or water. My heart nearly broke seeing children in strollers with cloths on their heads due to the heat. They did say that they were trying to get relief planes in to take these people out.

This is a devastating situation and I can only hope substantial help arrives soon.

If you want to help directly, there is a list of four-star organizations in this article: How to Help Puerto Rico and Other Islands After Hurricane Maria - The New York Times

The list in this article includes International charities whose ratings by Charity Navigator are good. Also, a short blurb is given listing where each of these charities is putting their focus. For instance, AmeriCares is concentrating on Puerto Rico.

CFrance, Thank you for posting this article. Good information.

GG, just a reminder that this thread is about the millions of people under extreme duress in Puerto Rico, a U,S. territory. Perhaps a separate Mexican earthquake thread is necessary.

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:smiley:

You are right of course but I took it as a post that we Villagers weren't showing proper concern for others who were facing awful times. I know most of us feel awful for those who live in countries near us who have lost everything.

Sorry Chi..

Just to remind us all, that we, most of us who live here, the older generations, haven't lost our humanity, our hearts or our sense of caring for others who are suffering. Until I moved here, I had only known well, ONE person born in Puerto Rico. I visited the country during a sales meeting years ago, and thought it beautiful. It was only during the storm did I know that there were mountains in the center. We live to be old and learn many things about ourselves and others.

There is no doubt you care about people that's for sure. And it's nice that The Villages is a caring community.

There is a large Puerto Rican population in Chicago, and I know that city has had its share of bad publicity, but it does pitch in during a time of crisis.

Hurricane relief supplies headed to Puerto Rico from Chicago | abc7chicago.com




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WHERE is the like button?

Remember that all the residents of Puerto Rico are U..S. citizens!

That aid will be forthcoming from the Federal government as well as private contributions - just as the hurricane victims of Texas and Florida.

Trump - as President of the USA should be leading the initiative for Federal disaster aid for Puerto Rico.

Texas, Florida, Mexico, Puerto Rico. All very bad. Let's not sink to the level of politics. Our Country will be there for all of them. As always.

:agree:

As U..S. citizens will FEMA help out ?

I just heard on the news that 20 barges from FEMA were on their way to Puerto Rico with food, generators and supplies and medical teams. Also a hospital ship.

We are sending the hospital ship Comfort to Puerto Rico

Numero Siete just checked in with the other family in P.R. The oldest Man is coming back because he can't hang in there in the heat. The rest want to stay there and rebuild no matter what. They Love it there. God Bless Em, God help them. They put together a family meal today of Chicken & Rice. They are very resourceful, hard working, kind, religious people. They love me and I love them back, They call me Gordito??? I don't know what they're talking about! :shrug:

Hospitals have taken their world relief boxes and sent them to PR. Just one hospitals donation can run a triage for weeks. Every hospital in every part of the country has world relief boxes packed and ready to go to wherever it's needed. And in a disaster like this you would be surprised at how many more boxes can be quickly put together and shipped immediately.

Comletely agree w you!

It seems like you and Madelaine have missed much of the news re P.R. relief from the mainland! Especially this item, "Rossello and other officials praised the federal government for planning its response in detail before the storm hit, a contrast with what Puerto Rico has long seen as the neglect of 3.4 million Americans living in a territory without a vote in Congress or the electoral college."
Aid begins to flow to hurricane-hit Puerto Rico - POLITICO

C130s began relief drops as soon as the airport reopened. Better that they have the space than Air Force 1 - no?

And ships began delivering relief supplies as soon as the port reopened.

Maybe these articles will catch you and Madelaine up on what has been happening on the Federal relief level.
Federal response in Puerto Rico to Hurricane Maria slowly takes shape - NewsChannel 5 Nashville
Aid reaches Puerto Rico after Maria as threat from cracked dam recedes | World news | The Guardian
$1B OK'd for Puerto Rico hurricane aid, but governor says he'll seek more | Fox News

ONE hospital ship is not going to help much. It's better then nothing. I feel so sorry for those people.

[QUOTE=njbchbum;1454179]It seems like you and Madelaine have missed much of the news re P.R. relief from the mainland! QUOTE]

I don't think we have missed anything about the early neglect of help to PR. It would seem that the powers that be have finally woken up to the need of their citizens on this island. Better late than never, but not before people have died.

[QUOTE=Madelaine Amee;1454188]IMHO you missed the information someplace. I spend a lot of time in Puerto Rico and still have a sail boat there. I have many friends there so I have following this very close. There was significant planning well before the storm hit. The logistics problem caused a delay in execution. The airports were all closed and so were all the ports. They couldn't get planes or ships into the country. The first planes to arrive after they opened a single runway were C-130's loaded with aid. Ships have been waiting and ports just started to open. Is it enough? Probably not, but they are also trying to help US Virgin Islands and BVI as well.

The biggest problems in Puerto Rico is they have spent all the money on hiring people which gets votes. Over 60% of the working population works for the country and local governments. That is not a sustainable model. No money has been spent on infrastructure for years. So a storm like this destroyed everything.

So yes I feel very sorry for them. I am actively trying to get there to help. I have sent personal stuff to folks I know. Not even sure it can get there. But the reason why the island was so damaged were somewhat self inflicted by the way the country has been run for the last twenty years.

I go to a marina in Fajardo a dozen or more times a year. There is a highway bridge down to a single lane because a new bridge is being built. It has been that way for over 10 years. And I have seen people working on the bridge only twice in that time frame. I struggle to hire anyone to do work on my boat. I usually give up and take it over to St Thomas. I can only get something done by paying under the table in cash. Nobody wants to work. It's a huge problem that has created an infrastructure that is crumbling. They are broke and have been for many years because such a huge percent of the work force works in public service of some type.

Please don't take this as a political statement, it is just information as to why they had the extent of the damage they did from personal observations from someone who has spent a lot of time there.