Path of Hurricane Maria through Puerto Rico
1On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria, then a Cateogry Four storm, hit Puerto Rico with winds averaging 155 miles per hour. It tore up trees, decimated power lines, flooded streets, caved in homes, and destroyed plenty of other infrastructure. 100% of the island lost electricity and access to clean water and food. The Hurricane impacted the entirety of the island, and created a desperate humanitarian crisis that for some is still on-going. What is more, the Hurricane itself caused billions of dollars in damages, upwards of $94 billion, and absolutely ruined the agricultural harvest to the tune of $790 million in loss; money that the island simply does not have due to a years-long recession. (1) Following the Hurricane, the island saw efforts in cleanup derailed by Earthquakes, lack of Government aide, and then the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to these damages, the Hurricane also caused near irreparable harm to the educational system on the island. Hundreds of school closures, increased travel distances, unstable home situations, and under-enrollment all struck the system of education on the island. As the path of the Hurricane above indicates, the whole island and its educational institutions saw damage, as will be seen in the next page.
