New data shows hurricane deaths in Puerto Rico could be 20 times higher than the government claims

[TomCADem]

Source: Vox

More than two months after Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico and devastated the island — knocking out its power grid and leaving millions without potable water — the official death toll has stayed surprisingly low at 55.

Yet no one who’s been following Puerto Rico’s hurricane disaster closely believes that to be an accurate representation of the lives taken by the storm. Journalists on the ground in Puerto Rico and here on the mainland have helped paint a very different picture of underreported deaths, prompting members of Congress to demand audits of the death count.

Now two social science researchers have shown that the actual death count may be closer to 1,085, a number that exceeds the government’s official figure by a factor of 20. (By comparison, at least 1,800 people died in connection to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — the deadliest hurricane to hit US soil in the past 50 years.)

* * *
The results were staggering: They found that in September 2017 — the month that Maria hit — there were 518 more deaths than the recent historical average for September and 567 more deaths in October 2017 than the recent historical average for October. That’s a total of 1,085 deaths likely linked to the hurricane. And given that widespread power outages have continued into November, the number of indirect deaths from the hurricane is probably higher still.

Read more: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/29/16623926/puerto-rico-death-toll-hurricane-maria-count

[George II]

1. WHY ISN'T OUR GOVERNMENT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS?????

[solara]

2. Our "Government" is PINO trump & Vichy GOP

Puerto Ricans do not speak English as their official language. They are not, for the most part, white and Puerto Ricans in the island don't vote in U.S. presidential elections and don't vote in U.S. congressional elections so they are not important to our "Government" If they did vote, they would most likely vote Democratic anyway. So no loss there.

But, because of trump's crass, disturbing, obscene lack of interest and contempt, millions of Puerto Ricans are moving to the US..mainly Florida where they CAN vote and according to the Mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz, they are being assisted by many to register to vote.

They will not forget how this "Government" has treated them.

[TomCADem]

3. Trump Declared Mission Accomplished

In contrast, out of frustration, Dem Luis Rodriguez is leaving Congress to focus on the people of Puerto Rico because the Trump administration is in full cover up mode.

[Hortensis]

5. Well, George, Hurricane Maria is dead and so are the

people she killed. The only "scandal" about this toll is the really silly government failure to just admit she killed far more than they were able to count in the aftermath.

IF it's actually our government's willingness to just sit and watch Puerto Rico itself die that you're hollering about, the answer lies right there. Puerto Rico has nothing they want, including its electorate.

When extremist anti-government, anti-tax and anti-regulation billionaires and their lackeys told us who they were, America really should have listened.

Now they're showing us. And that's your answer to the bigger question.

[George II]

6. Unfortunately we'll never know how many would not have died had our government...

....moved in quicker to clean up the mess.

[Hortensis]

7. You're missing the point: Government WASN'T stepping in.

The unthinkable is happening. The government is letting people die because those controlling it don't choose to waste taxpayer dollars saving them that they prefer to shift to their pockets.

What government did NOT do and is NOT doing in Puerto Rico is a huge clue. Stop asking why, open your eyes, and admit why.

They do not need PR, which is not self sustaining and which they are not heavily invested in. They do not want PR voters, who voted heavily Democrat in 2016. PR requires tax support. PR votes Democrat. They won't spend money on PR to keep people from dying and to rebuild that they already have earmarked for themselves.

Long ago they told us they want, and fully intend, to do away with virtually all mandatory taxation except for military and police to protect them. If we don't stop them, they will.

Right-wing billionaires still need Texas and Florida voters, plus the Kochs have been bringing Gregg Abbott along with an eye to the presidency, so relief money went there. The "government" came through for people whose votes they need. For now: Remember "end of work" and need for a national guaranteed income? To them, we're all Puerto Ricans.

When people tell you who they are, believe them. Tax cuts plan, anyone? Like PR, it's too bad to be happening in America. Not to us. Well, at least not without our help.

[Gothmog]

4. The deaths in Puerto Rico have been under reported to make trump happy