Hurricanes Irma and Maria leave death and destruction across the Caribbean just weeks apart.
The 2017 hurricane season has been like no other seen in recent history. Hurricane Irma 鈥� a category 5 storm with the 鈥� ripped through the Caribbean in August, sowing death and destruction all the way from Barbuda to Miami. Just weeks later, Hurricane Maria brought more devastation to Martinique, Turks and Caicos Islands, Guadeloupe and the US Virgin Islands, with Puerto Rico and Dominica suffering most damage.
At least 27 lives were lost in Dominica, where Maria became the first category 5 hurricane to hit the island since . With over , Dominica鈥檚 by the devastation, saying 鈥�.鈥� He made an impassioned appeal to the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of those nations hit hardest by climate change.
Slowing to a category 4 storm, Maria brought weather that Puerto Rico has not faced in nearly 80 years. The island is now depleted of fresh water, fuel and phone service, putting the territory on the brink of a . Insufficient sanitation is of major concern, and hospitals fear needed to keep life-support machines working. The island鈥檚 power grid may take as long as six months to restore. The storm so far, with at least 20 others missing.
Making a bad situation worse, Puerto Rico already faces a financial crisis with a massive $70 billion deficit, having in May. With an estimated $30 billion-worth of damages, 3.4 million American citizens on the island were of their president鈥檚 empathy. While Donald Trump noted almost a week after the devastation hit that the territory is in 鈥溾�� and that he is 鈥�,鈥� there is yet to be a concrete commitment to a relief effort.
After getting through the storm and massive flooding, rescue is being sought out for those who have been left stranded without a roof over their heads or any basic necessities for survival. Even though some cities are starting to get help from humanitarian organizations, it could take years for the islands to rebuild and recover from Maria鈥檚 destruction.
The views expressed in this article are the author鈥檚 own and do not necessarily reflect 51吃瓜鈥檚 editorial policy.
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