September 19, 2017:
As category 4 hurricane, Maria “made landfall in southeast Puerto Rico after striking the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Croix. Maria’s high winds caused widespread devastation to Puerto Rico’s transportation, agriculture, communication and energy infrastructure. Extreme rainfall up to 37 inches caused widespread flooding and mudslides across the island. The interruption to commerce and standard living conditions will be sustained for a long period, as much of Puerto Rico’s infrastructure is rebuilt. Maria tied Hurricane Wilma (2005) for the most rapid intensification, strengthening from tropical depression to a category 5 storm in 54 hours. ” — NOAA: Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters
Impact:
- CPI-Adjusted Estimated Cost: $90 billion
- Deaths: 4,645
Related Resources:
- Build Back Better: Reimagining and Strengthening the Power Grid of Puerto Rico
- Puerto Rico and Electric Power Restoration from Hurricane Maria
- Safe, Strong, and Just Rebuilding After Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria: A Policy Road Map for Congress
- HSDL Search Results for Hurricane Maria
- HSDL In Focus: Hurricanes
Photo: Hurricane Maria Lashes Puerto Rico (Credit: NASA)