Puerto Rico Devastation

Over the past decade, the world has experienced more natural disaster than people can count. Floods, mudslides, earthquakes, and raging fires are just a few of the events that have stripped people away from their families, homes, and possessions. The deadliest of these natural disasters are hurricanes. Extremely strong winds mixed with large waves can cause enormous damage, taking months, even years for towns to recover. Hurricane Katrina left millions of people without homes and families torn apart. Hurricane Sandy demolished the Jersey coast, leaving years of repair work behind. The most recent and powerful hurricane that surfaced is Hurricane Maria. A level five hurricane, Hurricane Maria ripped straight through the United States territory of Puerto Rico. The island lost power, supplies

The people of New Orleans, Louisiana believed that it would be a storm like any other, nothing to set this Hurricane apart from the others that they had dealt with over their lives living in their beloved city below sea level. Unfortunately, that proved to not be the case and indeed it would be a storm they would remember for the rest of their lives.

For example, Hurricane Maria, that name has been retired due to its destruction, reaching wind speeds of 160 miles per hour as a Category 5 passing first through the Caribbean. Hurricane Maria then worked its way demolishing Puerto Rico with wind speeds of 150 miles per hour and pouring out about 40 inches of rain causing it to flood (AccessScience Editors, 2017).

The beach is calm, there are palm trees swaying in the distance, and the soft crash of waves hitting the sand, this paradise seems unshakeable. But there’s a storm coming that will put this tropical Puerto Rican shore in danger. But this is not a weather storm, this is an economic storm that has caused the largest migration of Puerto Ricans to the U.S mainland since the end of World War II. Puerto Rico today, is less of a tropical paradise and more of a financial nightmare. with the repeal of section 963, to the bond boom of the 1970’s, and congress scrambling to help, many wonder if the poorest territory in the U.S. jurisdiction will become a debt ridden no-man's land.

Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful and catastrophic Cape Verde-type hurricane, the strongest on record in the Atlantic region. Hurricanes are very terrifying and dangerous. They can destroy pretty much anything, it was about 425 miles long. It began around August 30 near Cape Verde Islands, In Florida keys it started to reach Florida on September 9, 2017. The average wind speed was 185 mph, that is recorded the longest because it stayed the same for 37 hours.

Hurricane Irma was the strongest hurricane observed in the Atlantic since 2007. Hurricane Irma hit Florida as a Category 4 storm and was so strong it ripped off roofs, caused floods, and knocked out more than 6.8 million people's power. Its winds have been recorded to be 185 miles per hour. The storm killed at least 34 people in Florida, 38 in the Caribbean, and 4 in North Carolina. Hurricane Irma also caused food and water to become scarce, hospitals and health clinics to struggle, and schools to be closed. Lots of people lost homes to Hurricane Irma, and it has proved to be a tragic event.

So much that, "even the U.S. Commerce Department reported, ‘the general nature of the present relationship is one of great federal influence in the social and economic structure of the commonwealth’ (Baver, 42). Puerto Rico has lost much of its policy autonomy as a result of engaging in such a rapid economic transformation (Baver, 42). It seems that Puerto Ricans have "sold their souls" or were "fooled" in to believing that their economic stabilization was an interest of the U.S. as well (Baver,

Puerto Rico has been regarded as the next state to the United States. These reasons will be discussed in this paper but I also want to get into the history of the Island and what makes it unique to the rest of the mainland United States. Puerto Rico has culture who wants to embrace this uniqueness and there individuality in there island. I admire them for that.

Hurricane Katrina shocked millions of people in the world, but especially in Louisiana and Florida on August 29, 2005 (Elliot). New Orleans was hit the worst with about 1,800 dead and thousands of others had no home to go to after the disaster (Zimmermann). Katrina is the sixth strongest hurricane in the Atlantic and also referred to as the deadliest (Elliot)(Zimmermann). It was named Katrina after being found about 200 miles off the coast of the Bahamas with winds of 40 miles per hour, but soon made its way toward Louisiana (Zimmermann). It devastated thousands of people in many different ways.

Expanding further on the economic misgivings that the island possess, is the rapid departure of Puerto Ricans leaving the island looking for better lives on the U.S mainland. Luis Ortiz, a proud Puerto Rican native desperately wanted to stay in the place he called home, but saw greater opportunity in Florida, where he moved. Drew Dixon writes on Ortiz's situation, "Ortiz is typical of the thousands of people now leaving Puerto Rico for the mainland as the island remains stuck in the throes of a major financial crisis resulting from the government’s inability to pay its debt" (Dixon). Clearly, this unfortunate but understandable retreat from Puerto Rico is all too common, as Dixon also notes that, "An estimated 1,500 people each week flee the island for the U.S, with many heading to Florida" (Dixon). Statehood would reduce the appeal of moving to the mainland, as more opportunities would exist within Puerto Rico allowing for greater retention of those that call it home. With statehood would come the economic benefits, providing more jobs and revenue. This boost to the economy

Hurricane Katrina was one of the deadliest hurricanes in United States history. Hurricane Katrina was by far the most destructive storm to strike the United States with the actual cost of Hurricane Katrina’s damage between $96-125 billion. An estimated 1,836 people died and millions of others were left homeless along the gulf coast and in New Orleans. With homes virtually destroyed, thousands of people abandoned the area which in turn caused thousands of jobs to disappear. New Orleans lost 190,000 jobs, while the state of Louisiana lost 219,000 jobs and overall 12 percent statewide. More than 70 countries contributed large donations in the relief phase showing overall support and generosity.

Hurricane Irma crippled Puerto Rico with one of the largest blackouts in history. CNN reported last month that only twenty six percent of the electricity in Puerto Rico had been restored since the hurricane ripped through in September (Levenson, 2017). It has been over three months and over half of their population is lacking electricity and clean water. By the time Irma reached Florida, it regained momentum and flooded Miami with over twenty inches of rain (Weather Channel, 2017). This resulted in a state of emergency and complete shutdown of the city. Also, Orlando and Walt Disney World experienced some aggressive winds and thunderstorms. Wildfires engulfing California reached ten billion dollars in repair costs. This estimated cost was shared before the fires roared into Southern California. Solutions to this continued problem could include reserving more funds into the natural disasters budget. This would provide a safety net for the citizens of the affected state along with the salaries of those helping such as firefighters and

It is difficult to be ascetic when you are surrounded with people who enjoy the pleasure and material things this world has to offer.

The catastrophic Hurricane Katrina began on the morning of August 23, 2005. The deadly tropical storm began at approximately 5:00 PM as a Category 1 hurricane in the Bahamas, but by the morning of August 29, it grew from the south and up north into the states of Texas, Louisiana, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, New Jersey, Arkansas, New York, and Pennsylvania in the United States, as well as the provinces of Ontario, and Quebec in Canada. The worst of the damages seemed to be from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, with a total of 1,836 casualties overall. It is estimated that this hurricane caused over $108 billion in damages, left 15 million homeless, and at least 135 people still missing to this day.

One of the men who knew english explained to him that Puerto Rico has changed in the past years. Some people have been living in isolation. That isolation has led the government to become too self absorbed and not addressing the problems that are quickly rising in the island. Problems like vandalism, unrestrained crime, welfare dependency, ecological damage and income inequality.One of the men who knew english explained to him that Puerto Rico has changed in the past years. Some people have been living in isolation. That isolation has led the government to become too self absorbed and not addressing the problems that are quickly rising in the island. Problems like vandalism, unrestrained crime, welfare dependency, ecological damage and income