Hurricane Maria, September 2017
by Mrs. Yeager
Destruction at Sea
On September 20, 2017, hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. It may be the most destructive storm in their history. The category 5 storm hit the island, causing four consecutive days of damaging winds and rain. The country suffered 34 deaths during the storm, but hundreds more due to long-term power outages.
Hurricane Maria was a category 5 hurricane.
A category 5 storm has wind gusts of at least 155 miles per hour.
Power Loss
People suffer from power outages because they do not have clean water, proper food storage, and access to medical treatment.
Hospital Emergencies
Hospitals flooded and lost power, creating emergency conditions. Generators helped with back-up power, but not all services were available.
Many power lines and trees fell during the storm.
Death Rate Debate
Five months after the hurricane, experts still debate the official death rate. Because 50% of the population did not have power for months after the storm, the countries death rate soared over the monthly average. The chart above shows the increase in death after the storm.