Puerto Rico braces for Hurricane Irma

If predictions are correct, hurricane Irma will be one of the most catastrophic in Puerto Rico. The island is bracing itself for what could be weeks if not months of disaster. It will be a long road to recovery, with Puerto Rico seeing a magnitude in a hurricane it has never seen before all while facing an economic disaster as well.

Hurricane Irma is slamming its way into the Caribbean islands and soon will be headed towards the United States. It has strengthened into a category five hurricane, one of the largest in the Atlantic Ocean that have scientists and meteorologists extremely worried. With Puerto Rico next in the path of this catastrophic hurricane, people are bracing themselves for what could be a long haul to recovery.

On Tuesday, residents of the island rushed to stores and emptied out shelves as many were getting ready to evacuate flood prone areas. Food and water were among the top items bought, as well as generators, which many are fearing power will not be restored for weeks, if not months. Puerto Rico’s governor, Ricardo Rosselló, has declared a state of emergency and has the Nation Guard in preparation.

Due to Puerto Rico’s warm weather, many are getting ready for the heat that will follow without an air conditioner unit. Just last month, the country’s power utility, Ricardo Ramos Rodriguez, stated that there were many “factors” that led to the country’s fragile electricity. One of the main reasons is the shortage of employees, which he went on to state that many have left for the United States, or have retired.

With generators selling out, and the island bracing itself for impact, government officials are preparing shelters across the country to people who will need to evacuate. The situation is only getting worse by the minute as the United States have been called on for help, with Roselló asking President Trump for federal assistance, as well as to declare a state of emergency. In a letter written to the president he stated “Hurricane Irma’s magnitude compares to no other weather system in the recorded history of Puerto Rico.”

As if the hurricane had not been enough for Puerto Rico, the country is currently facing an economic crisis as well. Over the years, the country’s economy has fallen due to government overspending. The total of debt is believed to be $74 million along with pension obligations of $50 million, which has many worried. However, Roselló has stated that the country has money set aside for emergencies, a total of $15 million. This amount had been set aside in the countries budget.