The Devastation of Hurricanes

By Daniel S., 6th Grade Student, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation

When Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria pounded Puerto Rico in the span of a month during summer 2017, residents of the mainland could not begin to imagine the extent of the damage. Now, a full year later, Puerto Rico continues to suffer from the aftermath of those storms with recovery still a goal.

In June, NBC news reported that 250 schools were set to close, and the power grid was not ready for another hurricane. Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló, who remained in Puerto Rico during the entirety of all three hurricanes, confirmed that this was the most devastating event in Puerto Rican history. Rosello has been governor since 2017, but his father, Pedro Rosello was governor for eight years and experienced over 50 hurricanes during his time in office. All three storms hit Puerto Rico at above 150 miles per hour and left $94 billion worth of damage, said Chris Huber, co-author of the article “2017 Hurricane Maria: Facts, FAQ’s, and How to Help.”

Even though the hurricanes hit Puerto Rico over a year ago, some residents are still braving shameful living conditions. Access to electricity, running water, and steady living circumstances are very limited.

“A lot of people in Puerto Rico still don’t have power, and even though they repaired the electrical grid, it still isn’t strong,” says Cara Parsons, Science Department head at KSDS. “Also, even though a lot of money has been sent to repair houses, some people are still living in makeshift tents. There is a lot of work that needs to be done.”

According to Rabbi Moshe Schwartz, head of KSDS, Puerto Rico’s infrastructure also contributed to the destruction. “Puerto Rico lacks significant infrastructure because it’s an island, and there are things it just doesn’t have access to,” he says. “There are also all sorts of other issues with the infrastructure, like sewage and roads. The government needs to invest in Puerto Rico not only for its citizens, but because it is a major tourist destination.” After these three horrible hurricanes, Puerto Rico is likely not financially and physically strong enough to survive another severe storm.

“I think our government failed the citizens and residents of Puerto Rico in that it is a U.S. territory, but not a state, and we have substantial military and other resources on that island. Yet we didn’t do everything possible to both prepare for and support the island in advance of the hurricane and then to help in its reconstruction afterwards,” adds Schwartz, who suggests that the United States must offer Puerto Rico financial support.

Ellen Friedman, a middle school Judaics teacher at KSDS, says, “I think that people say, ‘Oh, it’s just an island,’ and they don’t realize it’s part of the United States, and we’re just as responsible of what goes on there as what goes on in the 50 states.” Even though Puerto Rico is an island over 1,000 miles away from the mainland, it is a U.S. territory, and the government should provide aid to Puerto Rico. As one of the most powerful nations in the world, the U.S. should generously aid any country in crisis.

Like this terrible trio of hurricanes that devastated Puerto Rico, other hurricanes have ravaged the U.S. and the Caribbean. Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, Hurricane Irene in August 2011, Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, Hurricane Florence in August 2018, and, most recently, Hurricane Michael in October 2018, have caused significant damage. As hurricane season reaches its violent midterm point, America needs to protect Puerto Rico and the entire Caribbean from these violent natural disasters.