Hurricane Maria News

Study Says Hurricane Maria Far Deadlier Than Katrina

Hurricane Maria probably killed about 5,000 people in Puerto Rico last year even though the official count remains at just 64, according to a Harvard University study released Tuesday. Such mortality would far outstrip the 1,833 who died in Hurricane …

Puerto Rico Ramps up Disaster Preparedness as Hurricane Season Nears

Federal and local officials said Thursday that they are stockpiling radios, food, water and generators in Puerto Rico and demanding rigorous emergency training to prepare the U.S. territory for dealing with any catastrophic storm as the Atlantic hurricane season approaches. …

Excavator Blamed for Island-Wide Blackout in Puerto Rico

An island-wide blackout hit Puerto Rico on Wednesday after an excavator accidentally downed a transmission line, officials said, as the U.S. territory struggles to repair an increasingly unstable power grid nearly seven months after Hurricane Maria. Officials said it could …

FEMA Faulted for Failed Contracts to Deliver Hurricane Aid

The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded contracts for hurricane supplies without adequately researching whether winning bidders could deliver what they promised, according to a new investigation by Democrats on a Senate oversight committee. The investigation followed disclosures by The Associated …

US Awards $18.5B in Disaster Recovery Grants to Puerto Rico

The U.S. government announced Tuesday that it will award $18.5 billion worth of disaster recovery grants to Puerto Rico to help repair homes, businesses and its crumbling power grid as the U.S. territory struggles to recover from Hurricane Maria. It …

Emails Reveal FEMA’s Silence as Puerto Rico Sought Generator Fuel

As hundreds of people stood in line for food and many went hungry during the days and weeks after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, Walmart Inc. and local supermarkets threw out tons of spoiled meat, dairy and produce. Emails and …

Puerto Rico Governor Orders Post-Hurricane Death Review

Puerto Rico’s governor on Monday ordered authorities to review all deaths reported since Hurricane Maria hit nearly three months ago amid accusations that the U.S. territory has vastly undercounted storm-related deaths. Gov. Ricardo Rossello said in a statement that it’s …

Lawmaker Calls for Audit of Hurricane Maria Tarp Contract

A U.S. lawmaker wants the Homeland Security Department inspector general to review contracts worth $30 million awarded to a fledgling company for Hurricane Maria disaster supplies it failed to deliver to Puerto Rico. Rep. Sean Maloney, D-N.Y., asked for the …

Big Contracts, No Storm Tarps for Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria

After Hurricane Maria damaged tens of thousands of homes in Puerto Rico, a newly created Florida company with an unproven record won more than $30 million in contracts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide emergency tarps and plastic …

Puerto Rico Seeks $94B Federal Aid After Hurricane Maria

Puerto Rico’s governor on Monday asked the federal government for $94.4 billion as the island struggles to recover from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Maria, with much of the U.S. territory without power and thousands still homeless. Ricardo Rosello also …