New data shows 4% drop in Puerto Rico population since Maria

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

New data shows 4% drop in Puerto Rico population since Maria

April 18, 2019

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — New Census Bureau data shows Puerto Rico lost nearly 4% of its population after Hurricane Maria — the greatest population drop in the recorded history of the island, according to one demographer.

Data released Thursday shows the U.S. territory’s population dropped by 129,848 people between July 2017 and July 2018. The hurricane struck two months into that period, in September 2017. The population loss was due to both deaths and people moving away, although emigration accounted for most of the drop. The heaviest population drops occurred in metropolitan areas such as the capital of San Juan, the city of Ponce and surrounding areas.

“It’s the largest population drop seen in a single year ever registered in Puerto Rico,” demographer Raúl Figueroa said.

The census numbers show there were 6,449 more deaths than births during the 12 months in question, a normal figure, even though there were several thousand more deaths than normal in the months immediately following the hurricane.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/df63a2f9186a4eaaaa531d69d59adf4e

[murielm99]

1. I hope the ones who have moved

have gone to places where they can register to vote. We could use more Democrats in several Southern states.