hurricane maria in puerto rico Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

date and storm details:

A

-20th september 2017
-category 4
-windspeed: 155 mph
-storm surge: 1.8m-2.7m along eastern coast, 0.6m-1.3m along northern coast
-rainfall: 96.3cm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

factors making puerto rico vunerable?

A

-almost half of the residents lived below poverty line
-facing a recession over a decade before maria hit
-unemployment rate was more than double national level

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

key social impacts:

A

-65 deaths- direct and 2975 indirect deaths
-children and young children are particularly prone to psychological impacts of the disaster
-6 months after the storm many were still without power

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

key economic impacts:

A

-caused 73.4 billion in damages
-£607 million loss in agricultiural yeilds
-$90 billions to puerto rico
-local economy devestated as people lost their livley hoods

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

key environmental impacts:

A

-30% of the trees in puerto rico are estimated to be destroyed
- a significant carbon sink has been destroyed
-increase nitrate in water: could cause nausea, blue baby syndrome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

preperations:

A

-NHC minitored the storm as it developed and moved westwards across the atlantic
-info from hurricane hunters and the dropsonde data was shared with all agencies
-FEMA were totally unprepared for a disaster of this magnitude- not enough food etc
-FEMA emergency workers were empitied by the response to the virgin islands 2 weeks before
-prior to maria landfall, hundreds of shelters were set up and evacuation orders were given

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

rehabilitation:

A

-FEMA worked to provide victims with housing assistance to help repair homes - could provide up to 33,000
-on average, FEMA has provided around $2,974 in individual housing assistance on the island
-mercy corps distributed 5000 solar lanterns and 2500 water filters to thousands of families

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

reconstruction:

A

-puerto ricans worked hard to restore their shops as quickly as possible, and today the island is open for business.
-training and supplies from mercy corps
-residents of the US territory were able to apply for aid through FEMA
-2 months after strom, 60% were without power
-although repairs were completed most houses only had temporary fixes and blue tarps for roofs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly