Puerto Rico cites storm death toll of 1,427 in damage report
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico is now estimating that Hurricane Maria killed more than 1,400 people, far more than the official death toll of 64, in a report to Congress seeking billions to help the island recover from the devastating storm.
The government, relying on updated statistics it first reported in June, said there were 1,427 more deaths from September to December 2017 than the average for the same time period over the previous four years.
In a report to Congress detailing a $139 billion reconstruction plan, the territory’s government said that the additional deaths resulted from the effects of a storm that led to a “cascading failures” in infrastructure across the island of 3.3 million people.
Hurricane Maria, as well as Hurricane Irma two weeks later, knocked out power and water to the island and caused widespread flooding that left many sick and elderly people unable to get medical treatment.
Read more: https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2018/08/09/puerto-rico-concedes-hurricane-maria-deaths-more-than-1400/
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