Part 1

(Section 7A)

The Storm

Experiencing the Storm

Caitlin Dickerson and Luis Ferré-Sadurní, “‘Like Going Back in Time’: Puerto Ricans Put Survival Skills to Use,” The New York Times, October 24, 2017.

Summary
This article describes the conditions under which Puerto Ricans lived after Hurricane María and the strategies that they adopted to face these hardships. For instance, they were uncommunicated due to little cell phone service, they ate canned food, they slept in shelters or cramped in houses, which allowed them to share generators. Due to the absence of municipal workers, many people only received aid provided by fellow citizens. The article describes the varying conditions of people living in low-income communities, such as La Perla, and Luis Lloréns Torres, those from the upper echelons of society, and those living in shelters.

Molly Hennessy-Fiske, “In one Puerto Rico mountain town, a wall of mud came crashing down,” LA Times, September 24, 2017.

Summary
Utuado, a town that sits at the heart of Puerto Rico’s mountain region, experienced deadly mud slides due to Hurricane María. This article provides details about the three elderly González sisters who were buried due to one of these landslides. One sister, who managed to survive because she was in a separate part of the house, opened the door to her sisters’ room, only to find it filled with mud up to the ceiling.  Furthermore, due to the major damage to roads and the main highway, many were trapped, in dire need of medical attention, and forced to hike for hours to find water, food, batteries, and basic necessities.

Ruth “Tata” Santiago, “Dispatch From the Frontlines of Puerto Rico in a Post-María World,” Latino Rebels, October 9, 2017.

Summary
Focusing on Salinas and on the Island’s southern region, this article begins by providing a detailed account of one day’s experiences, during post Hurricane María. In this region, there are large communities that self-identify as black and are living in conditions of poverty. This article places the fact that they were some of the last to receive aid into the context of energy colonialism and “unnatural” disasters, in which some are burdened with disproportionate effects. However, while these communities are at the frontline of this situation, they have also been at the lead of resisting injustice and forging solutions to their environmental problems.

“San Juan mayor: ‘There is horror in the streets,’” The Washington Post, September 23, 2017.

Summary
In this video, the governor of San Juan describes the many needs of Puerto Rico’s citizens after María: lack of medication, lack of food, lack of drinking water, and lack of gasoline. She also describes how the flooding has provoked many to be in contact with contaminated water. Her main concerns are the most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, children, and those who require medical assistance to live. She makes a plea for aid to continue to arrive since Puerto Ricans depend greatly on outside resources, because they live in an island

Evelyn Milagros Rodríguez, “I’m a librarian in Puerto Rico, and this is my Hurricane Maria survival story,” The Conversation, October 26, 2017.

Summary
This article describes the first-hand account of a special collections librarian at the University of Puerto Rico, Humacao. Out of all the buildings on campus, the library building experienced the worst damage, resulting in the loss of many books that have been affected by mold. The author combines her focus on UPR with a more general description of various ways that life in Puerto Rico has been altered after Hurricane María.

MAP: El paso exacto de María

Darkness and Disconnection

Frances Robles, Lizette Álvarez and Mary Williams Walsh, “Facing Months in the Dark, Ordinary Life in Puerto Rico is ‘Beyond Reach’,” The New York Times, September 22, 2017.

Summary
Puerto Rico’s government-owned power company was particularly vulnerable during Hurricane María due to its history of neglect, mismanagement, bad infrastructure, and extensive debt. Consequently, after the hurricane, more than 70 percent of the Island was left without power. The governor of Puerto Rico stated that fixing and providing electrical service could take four to six months. This article describes the reasons why restoring power on the Island is going to be a daunting and expensive task.

Richard Fausset, Frances Robles, and Deborah Acosta, “Minus Electrical Grid, Puerto Rico Becomes Generator Island,” The New York Times, October 7, 2017.

Summary
After María decimated Puerto Rico’s electric power grid, about 90% of the Island, from apartment buildings, small shops, to fast food restaurants, depended on generators. The generators incessant drone is one problem among many; the generators also raise health and safety concerns. This article describes the local and federal government’s efforts to fix the electrical system, which are not always streamlined. Some hope that this could be a moment in which green energy options are installed on the Island.

Yochi Dreazen, “Darkness: life in Puerto Rico without electricity,” Vox, October 24, 2017.

Summary
This article describes the various ways Puerto Ricans are struggling after María due to the lack of electricity. Not only are basic comforts that were once taken for granted gone, but the lack of power also significantly slows the US’ relief efforts. Furthermore, electricity is needed for crucial necessities, such as the pumps and filtration systems that treat the sewage and provide clean drinking water. Ultimately, the lack of electricity could kill more people than the storm itself; especially considering President Trump’s halting response to the Puerto Rican crisis.

Umair Irfan, “Hurricane Maria has now caused the longest blackout in US history,” Vox, October 30, 2017.

Summary
After more than 100 days, the blackout provoked by Hurricane María in Puerto Rico and in the U.S. Virgin Islands is the longest in U.S. history. This article describes various ways in which the lack of power is affecting these Islands’ citizens. For instance, these outages have provoked ongoing health and environmental crises, leading to serious deadly effects. Outages also provoke significant economic loss: according to the financial services firm Allianz, a 30-minute power loss costs an average of $15,709 per customer for medium and large industrial facilities. Power restoration in these territories is slow, sporadic, and expensive.

Catalina M. de Onís, “For Many in Puerto Rico, ‘energy dominance’ is just a new name for US colonialism,” The Conversation, August 21, 2017.

Summary
Energy dominance” has been a continual practice of the US in Puerto Rico, which is clearly demonstrated, for instance, with the harnessing of human labor and fossil fuels to exploit local resources through mining, coffee, and sugarcane development. This article demonstrates how Trump continues this colonial legacy. His central policy is “achieving American energy dominance,” which includes expanding nuclear development, increasing coal and natural gas exports, building transnational pipelines, and accessing offshore oil and gas deposits. Facing criticism from environmental justice activists and energy experts, the Puerto Rican government and the current Fiscal Oversight Board have attempted to implement a “fast forward approach” that centers on fossil fuels, which inhibit democratic engagement and renewable alternatives.

Multimedia article: Arelis R. Hernández, Whitney Leaming and Zoeann Murphy “Sin Luz: Life Without Power,” Washington Post,  December 14,2017. VERSION ESPAÑOL.

Summary
Interspersed with high-quality videos, this article addresses the destruction that Hurricane María provoked through various individuals’ stories. One video includes an interview where a woman describes the conditions under which she has been living without access to electricity and water. Other images and videos describe how schools have been abandoned while the students are forced to help their families. Yet another story has to do with a family that made a wood cart and pulley to cross a river; this remedied their isolation after a bridge fell.

Adam Rogers “In Puerto Rico, No Power Means No Telecommunications” Wired.com October 10, 2017

Summary
This article focuses on the lack of telecommunications that Puerto Ricans endured after the Hurricane. Not only do telecommunication services have to be reestablished, but, first, electricity must be restored after all of the Island’s transmission lines were knocked down. Rural areas are further uncommunicated because cell towers in the metropolitan areas are the priority. However, telecom companies try to solve the problems by using generators and banding together.

Rachel Becker “Trying to communicate after the hurrricane: “It’s as if Puerto Rico doesn’t exist” The Verge.com September 29, 2017.

Summary
After Hurricane María, Puerto Rico was left in the dark in more ways than one: the void that appeared in satellite images due to the entire Island’s lack of power, and because 90% of the Island’s cellphone towers were out of service  communications were impeded. Without methods of communication, cries for help will be left unheard and many more will die. This article describes various efforts made by FEMA, The National Guard, startups, and local and foreign amateur radio operators to close the communication gap. In the capital, the restoration of cellphone service has begun.

Katie Zezima, “‘I just need my mother’: The frantic quest to contact loved ones in Puerto Rico,” The Washington Post, September 22, 2017.

Summary
After Hurricane María, most of Puerto Rico was without power, and communication was impossible. Families and friends on the Mainland would desperately try to communicate with people on the Island, but neither text messages, emails, nor calls would go through. This article describes how the people on the Mainland urgently searched the internet for information and called elected officials. Furthermore, intra-island communications were also extremely difficult.

SONG: Joseph Fonseca, “La Planta Nueva (Navidad Boricua)” YouTube Video November 19, 2017

VIDEO “Puerto Rico: La isla incomunicada” YouTube Video Univision Noticias September 28, 2017.

Summary
This video shows the heartbreaking despair felt by many Puerto Ricans who have not been able to contact one another on the island or on the mainland to let their loved ones know they’re okay.

Scarcity

Associated Press, “In Puerto Rico post-Maria, a new shortage: Cash,” CBS News, September 28, 2017.

Summary
This article narrows in on a pervasive problem faced by the Island after Hurricane María: the lack of accessible cash. For instance, one of the people interviewed tried to withdraw money from various ATM machines only to find them all empty. Furthermore, many people are running out of money since their places of employment have not been able to call them back to work. At a national scale, this shortage is drastically reflected: Governor Rosselló announced that Puerto Rico will have practically no income for the following month.

Pablo Venes, “Starving Puerto Rican Towns Sharing Food, Eating Plants, and Waiting for FEMA,” Daily Beast, October 10, 2017.

Summary
Even with the help of the Armed Forces, it was very difficult for FEMA to supply food and basic necessities across the Island. This article describes communities that completely depended on FEMA for nutrition and the scramble that would occur when FEMA trucks arrive, with people having to compete with one another for supplies. Grocery stores are not only scarce in goods but have also drastically increased their prices. The luckier ones are those who harvest their own food, yet many were still forced to reduce their portions.

Amanda Holpuch, “Life or death as Puerto Rico’s older people go without essentials,” The Guardian, October 3, 2017.

Summary
After Hurricane María, elderly people comprised one of the most vulnerable populations. For instance, many who lived in apartment buildings were stranded, since the elevators were not working and they were unable to go up and down flights of stairs. Many depend on caretakers for food and supplies, yet these workers are often dealing with their own issues or have been prevented from reaching the elderly person’s home. Therefore, volunteers are working on reaching elderly who are often dehydrated, without food, and low on medical supplies.

Caitlin Dickerson, “Finding Water in Puerto Rico: An Endless Game of Cat and Mouse,” The New York Times, October 12, 2017.

Summary
This article describes how, three weeks after Hurricane María, finding drinking water was still an extremely challenging task. Not only were many sources of water contaminated, but also those that were told that their local water was safe still avoided it, fearful of reports of infectious diseases. Consequently, many stores ran out of bottled water and, if they had it, they needed to ration the amount consumers could buy. Many Puerto Ricans in more rural areas completely depended on FEMA for water.

Redacción Digital NotiUno. “FEMA justifica decomiso de miles de botellas de agua,” NotiUno, July 30, 2019.

Molly Hennessy-Fiske, “She was covered in insects and unable to walk: Doctors in Puerto Rico only now discovering the problems in remote towns,” LA Times, October 6, 2017.

Summary
This article outlines the medical crisis taking place in Puerto Rico two weeks after Hurricane María: many hospitals were still reliant on generators and were running out of vital medications. Several democrats advocated for transporting the elderly and the ill to the Mainland, in order for them to get the treatment they needed. In terms of the local government, Rosselló assured that it was taking measures, such as supplying fuel to some hospitals and creating medical shelters. However, particularly in the rural areas, many are still without the help they need since, for instance, these areas continue to be inaccessible to helicopters and cars with medical supplies. Moreover, trauma patients are being transferred to cities, where there is often not enough space to take them in.

Richard Wolffe, “Puerto Rico: US officials privately acknowledge serious food shortage,” The Guardian, October 11, 2017.

Summary
After Hurricane María, there was an urgent need to augment the supplies of food: one senior FEMA official explains that, each day, they are 1.8 million meals short. This article discusses how, even as officials privately admit that there is a massive shortage of meals, FEMA makes vague public statements. Furthermore, the lack of urgency on the federal government’s side is tangible: FEMA’s contract was near ending and it would take several weeks for a new contract to emerge.

VIDEO: “Ancianos relatan sus vivencias después de María,” Noticel, November 11, 2017.

Summary
This video tells how the elderly community has experienced Hurricane Maria. Many are without power or steady assistance and as a result, are suffering and feel forgotten by the surrounding community.

Toxicity

Vann R. Newkirk, “Puerto Rico’s Environmental Catastrophe,” The Atlantic, October 18, 2017.

Summary
After Hurricane María, many water purification systems failed, and Puerto Ricans were forced to drink water contaminated with sewage. Many resorted to drinking water from wells from Superfund sites, however, these sites are incredibly vulnerable. Furthermore, the quality of this water still required further testing. Through examples taking place across the Island, this article discusses other ways in which water pollution occurs: due to the flooding and the dumping of wastewater in rivers, many water sources contain both chemical and biological pollution. Citizens are attempting to combat this pollution, given that the contamination crisis has already provoked four deaths.

Emily Atkin, “Puerto Rico Is Already an Environmental Tragedy. Hurricane Maria Will Make It Even Worse.,” The New Republic, September 19, 2017.

Summary
Written before Hurricane María reached the Island, this article considers the environmental calamities already occurring on the Island and their impending exacerbation due to the storm. For instance, Puerto Rico has 23 Superfund sites that risk further contaminating soil and groundwater with the passing of the Hurricane. Moreover, it is very likely that the Southern coastal ash accumulation, which contains heavy metals, will be showered over communities by the winds. These are some of Puerto Rico’s unique environmental concerns that the article tackles.

Alexa S. Dietrich, Adriana María Garriga-López and Claudia Sofía Garriga-López, “Hurricane Maria Exposes Puerto Rico’s Stark Environmental and Health Inequalities,” Items: Insights From the Social Sciences, October 3, 2017.

Summary
This article explains the impact of Hurricane María and Hurricane Irma by providing some context of Puerto Rico’s history, economy, and environmental policies. For instance, the Island’s ecosystem had been historically destabilized due to colonial policies, which are still resounding: corporate interests are privileged, creating an uneven enforcement of environmental regulation. Consequently, the Island already had much infrastructural and environmental vulnerability that was made tangible and exacerbated by the two hurricanes. The article also discusses the deficient management of public utilities and the likelihood of citizens being pressured to privatize them.

“AES no tapó cenizas ante paso de huracán María,” Radio Isla, September 22, 2017.

Summary
This audio clip contains interviews from experts and locals who explain that an AES electrical plant in the town of Guayama did not take the appropriate precautions, instructed by the Board of Environmental Quality (Junta de Calidad Ambiental) before the arrival of Hurricane María. Primarily, it did not cover its carbon ashes, which solidified with the rainfall.

Coco McCabe, “Mold is blanketing Puerto Rico making it difficult for many to breathe,” Daily Kos, October 31, 2017.

Summary
This article focuses on an environmental issue faced by Puerto Ricans who are trying to clean houses that were exposed to the elements, after Hurricane María: the growth of mold. With restricted access to supplies, getting a hold of chlorine was a challenge. Furthermore, due to the difficulties of communication, educating the population about this problem was very challenging. Asthmatic citizens are particularly vulnerable to exposure to mold.

Julia Belluz “The unrelenting crisis in Puerto Rico is forcing people to drink dirty water,” Vox, October 18, 2017.

Summary
Hurricane María provoked the Island’s sewage system to break down, resulting in the absence of purified water in the water system. Many citizens were forced to bathe and wash in rivers that were contaminated with raw sewage. A bacterial disease provoked by water contaminated with animal urine has begun to break out and there are risks of the spread of other diseases. This article explains how various attempts to provide clean water to Puerto Ricans have failed or been insufficient.

Damaris Suárez “Agencias de gobierno no actúan ante peligros que conllevan los generadores eléctricos,” Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, November 13, 2017.

Summary
Faced with months without electricity, many Puerto Ricans resorted to using generators. As this article explains, citizens not only endure the loud noise generators make, but also inhale the diesel they expel. Between Hurricane María and Irma, there have been 22 fires and at least 30 people intoxicated due to the incorrect use of generators. Many criticize the fact that the government has not taken the necessary steps to enforce measures that control the handling of generators.

Health Crisis

Frances Robles “Puerto Rico’s Health Care Is in Dire Condition, Three Weeks After Maria,” New York Times, October 10, 2017.

Summary
This article comments on the dire health-care situation in Puerto Rico three weeks after the hurricane. It gives an overview of the conditions in several hospitals throughout the Island describing the most critical aspects: people who need oxygen or dialysis and others being diagnosed with leptospirosis. It discusses the discrepancies between what the government reports and the information given by the persons interviewed by the author.

Vann R Newkirk II, “Puerto Rico’s Dire Health-Care Crisis” The Atlantic, October 29, 2017.

Summary
The focus of this article is the way in which hospitals are coping with the health-care situation one month after Hurricane María. It details the adverse conditions at the hospitals, the intense working hours of the medical staff, and the lack of communication between hospitals and specialists. The case of HIV positive patients is highlighted. It also mentions the case of dialysis patients, as well as the recurrence of leptospirosis on the Island.

Eleanor Cummins and Aaron Mak, “In Puerto Rico, Surgery by Flashlight Is Just the Beginning,” Slate, October 23, 2017.

Summary
After commenting on the terrible conditions on the Island after the arrival on Hurricane María, this brief article explains the failures in delivering much needed aid to the most affected areas.

Omaya Sosa Pascual and Jennifer Wiscovitch Padilla, “Caos en los hospitales ‘operacionales,’” Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, October 9, 2017. ENGLISH VERSION

Summary
This investigative report centers on the problems faced by hospitals during the first weeks after hurricane María hit Puerto Rico. The purpose of the research was to determine what “operational”, the term used by the government officials to describe certain hospitals, meant. The article documents inconsistencies between the information given by the government regarding the functioning of the hospitals on the Island and the evidence gathered by the authors through interviews with hospital personnel.

Jennifer Bendery, “These Volunteer Nurses In Puerto Rico Fear FEMA Is Failing,” The Huffington Post, October 13, 2017.

Summary
The author of this newspaper article interviewed two registered nurses who came to Puerto Rico as volunteers to help in the recovery. Their main criticism is the lack of FEMA’s effectiveness in providing relief where needed. They also denounce the fact that the government is not informing the truth about the situation, which they find worse than it is being portrayed.

Ana Campoy “Puerto Rico is becoming a textbook example of how waterborne disease outbreaks spread,” Quartz, October 20, 2017.

Summary
In this brief article, the author underlines the danger, after Hurricane María, of the propagation of diseases transmitted through contaminated water. Because of a lack of electricity, treatment plants are not functioning, and people cannot boil the water they manage to find.

Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza, “Life and Death in Puerto Rico,” Pacific Standard, October 3, 2017.

Summary
Using the disaster of Hurricane María only as a starting point, the focus of this article is the underlying causes of the crisis in Puerto Rico. The author finds the roots of the situation in the unfair relationship of the Island with the US. Discussing some of the main policies imposed on the Island throughout the last 120 years, she suggests that the health-care crisis is not due to the hurricane; rather, it is the only possible outcome of the unjust relationship with the mainland.

Flight and Displacement

Jack Healy and Luis Ferré, “For Many on Puerto Rico, the Most Coveted Item is a Plane Ticket Out,” The New York Times, October 5, 2017. (En español: ‘Todos se van’: el éxodo que amenaza la reconstrucción de Puerto Rico)

Summary
Two weeks after the hurricane struck, Puerto Ricans, young and old alike, have decided that the only solution they have is to leave the Island. The article presents some specific cases of elderly people—many times with serious health conditions—who were forced to abandon their homes to continue their medical treatments. It also describes the struggle of young families with children who decide to find schools and work on the mainland as the only solution available to them.

Yarimar Bonilla, “How the U.S. will replace immigrant workers with Puerto Ricans” Washington Post January 19, 2017.

Summary
One would expect the Puerto Ricans leaving the Island to face xenophobia and discrimination, particularly in the current U.S. political climate where discussions about closed borders dominate. However, this article explains that the Puerto Rican evacuees are sought after and recruited: worried that Trump’s anti-immigration policies will cause labor shortages, many want to hire the Puerto Rican bilingual workers who consider the minimum wage a significant wage increase. In fact, there is a history of Puerto Rican workers supplementing immigrant labor. Furthermore, the article expands on multiple companies’ aggressive recruitment strategies and how this further demonstrates the Island’s key role in U.S. labor markets.

Anthony Faiola, Samantha Schmidt, Marc Fisher,  “Should they go back?,” The Washington Post, September 30, 2017.

Summary
In this investigative article, the authors examine the situation in several Caribbean islands two weeks after Hurricanes Irma and María hit. Special attention is given to the island of Barbuda, which was totally devastated by Irma. The article discusses the life of its 1,800 inhabitants before, during, and after the storm and it analyzes briefly the effects of these storms on the economy and survival of the islands. To carry out their research, the authors follow the return of a Barbuda family to their home and visit a family from a mountain town in Puerto Rico. In both cases, the question posed is whether they will be able to remain on the island or if they will have to migrate.

Benjamín Torres Gotay, “Se van con el corazón roto,” Primera Hora, October 05, 2017.

Summary
This article focuses on the increased emigration of Puerto Ricans to the US in the wake of Hurricane María. Using as an example the case of a specific family from a small town, it describes the terrible conditions on the Island and how these are forcing families to migrate. The author analyzes briefly the problems that stem from this situation for the future of Puerto Rico.

Damaris Suárez, “‘Ya estiré el chicle hasta donde puedo: Me voy de Puerto Rico,’” NotiCel, November 5, 2017.

Summary
This brief article tells the stories of two families affected by the conditions on the Island in the aftermath of MarÍa. In both cases, they had to migrate to the US. The article explains their specific situations. It also discusses the rate with which Puerto Ricans will migrate during the next few years.

Yaritza Rivera Clemente, “Éxodo de estudiantes a EE.UU.,” El Vocero, November 5, 2017.

Summary
In an interview with El Vocero, Julia Keleher, Secretary of Education, explains the situation of public schools in the aftermath of Hurricane María. Among the topics discussed are the criteria used for opening schools after the storm, and the consolidation and closing of some schools because of the increased migration.

Edwin Meléndez and Jennifer Hinojosa, “Estimates of Post-Hurricane Maria Exodus from Puerto Rico,” Center for Puerto Rican Studies, October 2017.

Summary
In this research brief put out by the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, the authors analyze the patters of migration of Puerto Ricans to the US since 2006, giving special attention to the effects of Hurricane MarÍa. The article’s four sections include: an estimate of the post-MarÍa exodus from Puerto Rico, a breakdown of the preferred destinations by state, an analysis of the consequences of the depopulation of Puerto Rico and, finally, a demographic breakdown of these migrants in order to ascertain the resources needed to satisfy their needs according to age-group. The article includes graphics that illustrate the findings.

Joe Light, “HUD Explores Temporarily Housing Puerto Ricans on U.S. Mainland,” Bloomberg, October 29, 2017.

Summary
This news article announces that the U.S. government is considering the relocation of tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans who have lost their homes to the U.S. mainland. At the moment the article was written, this solution was in the designing stages by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Jhoni Jackson, “Puerto Ricans on the Heartbreak of Leaving Post-Maria: ‘I feel like I’m being kicked out of my home,’” Remezcla, October 27, 2017.

Summary
The author interviews three young women regarding their experiences during the aftermath of Hurricane MarÍa. All three discuss the need to leave the Island in order to survive, and their outlook on the future.

Chico Harlan “U.S. companies see opportunity in exodus from storm-ravaged Puerto Rico” Washington Post, January 1, 2018.

Summary
This article discusses how many U.S. companies see opportunity in Puerto Ricans’ recent exodus: these migrants represent workers who would perform lower-rung American jobs. For instance, after determining that Puerto Rico looked like a “Third World Country,” a recruiting manager from a turkey plant visited Puerto Rico. This article follows the experiences of Gretchen Vélez, who, after Hurricane María, lost her job and could not continue attending college because classes were cancelled. Even though she does not speak English, this recruting manager guided her to the plant in snowy South Dakota.

John D Sutter. “130,000 left Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, Census Bureau says,” CNN, December 19, 2018.

Summary
The US Census Bureau indicates that almost 4% of the population left Puerto Rico after Hurricane María. This article provides a brief analysis of this figure as well as the chosen locations of the migrants. This displacement constitutes more than double what would be expected in a normal year. Puerto Ricans moved to practically every US state, however, Florida experienced the largest influx of migration.

Todd Heisler “Added to the Storm’s Toll, Guilt and Heartache for Puerto Ricans Who Fled” New York Times, November 26, 2017.

Summary
Those who decided to leave Puerto Rico after the Hurricane experience their own form of trauma and guilt: not only are they living comfortably while their families and loved ones struggle back home, but they also know that, as professionals, students, and young people, they could be essential to the Island’s recovery. Thus, this article describes the phenomenon of “survivor’s guilt.” However, many in the diaspora feel that they can help the Island from afar.

John D. Sutter, “Motel Misery: Hundred fled Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico only to end up functionally homeless in Florida,” CNN, April 20, 2018.

Summary
This article shares the heartbreaking stories of the many Puerto Ricans who fled the island to Florida after Hurricane Maria hit. These displaced American citizens are stuck in a sort of limbo as they try to figure out the next step after FEMA stops paying for their lodging. FEMA stops providing assistance in the form of their Transition Shelter Assistance program to applicants whose homes in Puerto Rico are found to be livable or who have other housing options, such as staying with friends or family. The FEMA program, Direct Lease, pays for longer-term rentals, however, it is not available to Hurricane Maria evacuees who relocated to the mainland. These two programs leave many displaced Puerto Ricans in a constant state of uncertainty and at the cusp of homelessness.

Arelis R. Hernández, “Thousands of Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria could be forced out of their temporary homes,” The Independent, August 12, 2018.

Summary
This article discusses the complexity of the FEMA program that is currently housing the many displaced Puerto Ricans. FEMA representatives argue that the housing program was never meant to be a permanent solution, and instead, it was supposed to help the displaced population recover. LatinoJustice argues that FEMA is stopping the sheltering program sooner than it would for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy.

Trauma

Caitlin Dickerson “After Hurricane, Signs of a Mental Health Crisis Haunt Puerto Rico” New York Times, November 13, 2017.

Summary
Due largely to the recession, Puerto Rico has been struggling with an increase in mental illness which was exacerbated by the effects of Hurricane María. Given the ongoing effects of the hurricane, many have been unable to return to a routine—a crucial strategy toward overcoming trauma. As Dr. Domingo Marqués explains, prolonged losses of electricity, water, communications, or infrastructure have been linked to the onset of mental illness. The increased needs of the population have doctors and staff members taking on extra shifts and working overtime.

Carmen Heredia Rodríguez, “Hurricane Maria’s legacy: Thousands of Puerto Rican students show PTSD symptoms,” PBS. April 27, 2019.

Summary
A study of the mental health of public school students, conducted five to nine months after Hurricane María, found that they exhibited signs of PTSD. This article discusses the varied causes of this mental state, such as the loss of homes, shortages of food and water, death, and the migration of friends and family members. Regardless of location or family income, the students equally experienced PTSD. This trauma can manifest in a myriad of ways.

Ed Morales, “In Puerto Rico, Disconnection and Chaos, but Grace Under Pressure,” The Nation, October 13, 2017.

Summary
The fallen power lines and cellphone towers have produced the feeling of disconnection and chaos in the Puerto Rican population that, in turn, may contribute to post-traumatic stress disorder. This difficulty of communication that the Island faced after the hurricane evinces the inadequate response of the federal government and of the Island’s executive branch. This article outlines various ways that both governments’ efforts are falling short. Due to the governments’ lack of attention, various grass-roots groups have been taking it upon themselves to account for citizens and repair damage.

Marga Parés Arroyo, “Suben los suicidios,” El Nuevo Día, October 3, 2017.

Summary
This article explains how statistics reflect the increase in suicides after the passing of Hurricane María. These can be compared to the increase that also took place after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Because help is slow in coming, the article suggests the solution of looking to neighbors and the community for help and conversation. Furthermore, difficult circumstances can engender positive effects because of the feeling of resilience.

April Ruiz, “My uncle survived Hurricane Maria. Despair over its devastation killed him.,” The Washington Post, October 6, 2017.

Summary
Writing about her own family, the author recounts her uncle’s suicide after Hurricane María. The author lived in the US and, through a text message sent with difficulty from a damaged cellphone tower, was told about her uncle’s death. He, who had never left the island, sunk into despair while surrounded by wreckage and his family’s struggles, which he had worked his whole life to prevent.

“Sicólogos advierten sobre cantidad alarmante de suicidios,” NotiCel, November 1, 2017.

Summary
This article discusses the need for self care and caring for others to prevent the increasing suicide rates. The article recommends paying attention to signs, such as isolation, changes in routine, and comments of hopelessness. Furthermore, one should not fear to address suicide directly with those who seem to need help.

Amanda Holpuch, “Despair and Anxiety: Puerto Rico’s ‘Living Emergency’ as Mental Health Crisis Unfolds,” The Guardian, August 7, 2018.

Summary
This article explores the unseen effects of Hurricane Maria, particularly the lasting trauma many would endure. The hurricane created a mental health crisis as millions of Americans were left without the basic necessities and thrust into survival mode. This method of living, one without a routine or security, instilled feelings of despair and anxiety into those who would not know where their next meal is coming from. The lack of antidepressants and antipsychotics only exacerbated the situation. The most vulnerable population – children – were exposed to unsafe environments and were without school for many months. FEMA has provided assistance in the form of $6.7 million to Puerto Rico for emergency mental health services program while Save the Children paid regular visits to children in heavily affected neighborhoods.

Rebecca Renner, “The deadliest period of a hurricane? After it’s over,” The Washington Post, September 12, 2017.

Summary
This article sheds light on perhaps the most fatal, but less covered, part of hurricanes: “indirect factors” which include fatalities during clean up. Comparing the deaths of Hurricane María to those of various other hurricanes, the article demonstrates that a large quantity of fatalities is attributed to indirect deaths, such as falling off roofs, ladders, and trees, electrocution, and car accidents.