HURRICANE MARÍA
Cayey, Puerto Rico
True Story - Irma N. Torres
Before the Hurricane - Preparations
On September 6, 2017, the imminent passage of Hurricane Irma over Puerto Rico was announced. Although it did not cross the island as predicted, it caused damage, and in my neighborhood we were without power for ten days. On the 20th, another catastrophic hurricane was expected to hit Puerto Rico. The reports in the news were constant, and the warnings were to prepare for the worst, due to the imminent passage of a category four or five hurricane. We were all securing properties and purchasing supplies for what was coming. Everyone was waiting to see what was going to happen since there were still homes without basic services due to the passage of Hurricane Irma 14 days before.
During the Hurricane - Distress
At midnight on September 20, 2017, we began to hear strong winds, and the power immediately went out. The darkness was total. The sound of many things flying around could be heard. The storm shutters were moving so much that it seemed like they were going to fly away, windows and all. In the darkness of the night, we could hear the horrible noises caused by the strong winds of the hurricane, and we also heard horrible screams. I felt such anguish that I began to experience an anxiety attack. I had to get up and move to a couch in the middle of the living room because of the panic attack.
There were hours of great tension and anguish. It seemed like it would never dawn again.
After 5:30 a.m. It began to clear slowly, and around 7:20 in the morning it became calm, and we went out to the front balcony to observe what happened. Ten minutes later it was already raining, and the winds started again. At that time the winds were coming from the other side of the house, and were so strong that the kitchen door opened several times, and my husband tied it up. We didn't count on the fact that the hurricane brought tornadoes. The wind blew so hard that it tore off the kitchen door, frame and all. It was surprising to see the four-inch screws (studs) come out like they were thumbtacks. The fence dividing the land fell. The roof of the house flooded because the drains were clogged, and it was not until Saturday that they could be unclogged.
Despite the persistent winds and rain throughout the day, I found a sense of calmness. The presence of some light enabled me to perceive my surroundings, granting me the ability to take appropriate action if necessary. During the night on Thursday and early Friday it continued to rain and the wind blew, but not as much as the night before, although there were strong wind gusts.
After the Hurricane - Disaster
On Friday we got up early and went out in our youngest son's car, since the car was small and we thought it would be easier to maneuver it. We were worried and wanted to know how our closest relatives were doing. From the moment we left our house, we began to see the disaster caused by the hurricane; it was a desolate panorama. We went first to my in-laws' house, and because we couldn't drive through, we had to leave the car. We had to walk a stretch of road to get to them because a huge tree had fallen and we could only get through on foot and very carefully because there were power cables lying on the ground. Thank God my in-laws' were fine, although the basement of the house where their youngest son lived with his wife and daughter had flooded.
Very worried, we decided to go check on my daughter, her husband, and their children, who live further away, and this was indeed an ordeal. We decided to go the usual way, but it was very risky; we went through narrow places and under fallen trees and poles. The panorama was desolate; it seemed that a bomb had fallen and destroyed everything in its path. When we were about four minutes away from arriving, we began to see cars turning back since there was no way to go through. Two huge cement poles had fallen, and all the high-voltage cables were scattered across the street. At that point we had to turn since there was no way to pass.
We felt frustrated and worried because we did not know what condition they were in with two small children, "one five years old and the other nine months old." Going back again under fallen trees and poles was very hard for me. I noticed that the car radio was making static noises when we went under the poles, indicating that they still had power. We decided to try to go on the highway, but as soon as we started the journey, we saw some cars coming in the opposite direction. We wondered what was happening, but we continued forward with great caution, as we were determined to reach my daughter and her family.
The view of the whole region was desolation. The trees had lost their greenery and looked broken and burned. It seemed as if a bomb had fallen, causing great destruction. Very carefully, we managed to reach the highway exit near my daughter's house, but we didn't realize that the stretch of road to get there was in worse condition than the one we traveled before. On this occasion, I was very afraid of having to go under a large electricity pole. The hood of the car almost touched the pole because of how low the pole was. At that moment I prayed to God to protect us and told my husband to pass as quickly as he could under the circumstances.
We arrived at my daughter's house, and thank God everyone was fine. They were without electricity or water, and the land was full of branches due to the fallen trees in the surroundings. At that moment we decided to leave for my mother's house, and I confess that I once again felt a great fear of having to go under the big pole again. In prayer, I begged God to allow us to pass safely, as I was afraid that the pole would fall completely, and I did not want that to happen while we were driving under the electricity pole. When we reached the entrance to the highway, it was blocked and at that moment we understood why the cars were going in the opposite direction when we were heading towards my daughter's house. We decided to follow the cars that entered through the highway exit, and stay to the right at all times, and very carefully return to where we had come.
When we left the highway, we headed towards a detour through which we could get to my mother's house faster, but it was impossible. The street was also blocked by fallen trees and mudslides. My husband set out to help some people who were trying to clear the area, but it was impossible because machinery was needed to remove the debris.
Once again we set out to find another way to get to my mother's house, who lived with my uncle, "two people over eighty years old." Thank God we managed to arrive there and found them well. My sister and her husband also arrived; they were just like us checking that everybody was okay. She was worried since she had passed by my house and hadn't found us. My other two brothers and their families were fine, thanks to God.
In my community, neighbors began to help each other; we even shared as a family during the afternoons. My husband, my children, and several neighbors got organized to help clear the streets and driveways so people could come and go without difficulty. They cut and moved fallen trees, branches, and debris. They formed a help brigade and went out daily to help those who needed help.
We went through months of uncertainty. There was a lot of need in all the towns of Puerto Rico. Lack of basic services caused long lines in supermarkets, stores, restaurants, and gas stations. There was no way to communicate since the communication towers for the internet were on the ground, the ATHs (interbank network) did not work, and people were not able to use their ATH cards. There was no drinking water or electricity. Food became scarce in supermarkets, and shelves were seen half full or almost empty. Construction materials in hardware stores were among the most sought after, since all the houses needed repairs, or in some cases, the construction of the entire house was necessary. Construction materials were scarce and had to be ordered and paid for to receive them at future dates that could be months later.
The news reported the tragedies experienced on the island. The images of the disaster caused by the passage of Hurricane Maria in all the towns of Puerto Rico were very heartbreaking. The photos and videos showed the great force of nature, how the winds destroyed everything in their path, and how floods covered up entire communities. Stories were presented of people who were saved with the help of neighbors, and the saddest thing was the stories of people who lost their lives due to the hurricane or due to the lack of means and resources after its passage.
In my town, the municipality established a help center for citizens in the baseball stadium. Breakfast and lunch were distributed to all who attended. Even people from other nearby towns came to Cayey to be fed. In addition, groceries were sent to the citizens of the town through community leaders. A FEMA office was also established so that those affected could request the corresponding aid.
Seven years have passed since Hurricane Maria, and there are still communities with houses with blue roofs. The United States government allocated federal funds for the repair of different areas such as roads, structures, bridges, health, and education, among others, but unfortunately very little reaches the people, that is, those truly affected. Over time, it has come to light the existence of warehouses with supplies that were not delivered to those in need. To this day, money to help the victims that was given to the PR government is not known who or how it was used for. The people of PR have suffered a lot, and to make matters worse, in 2019 there were several earthquakes, in 2020 the pandemic arrived, and in 2022 Hurricane Fiona caused major floods. It hasn't been easy, but we still continue to fight with hope of moving forward.
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