According to new research out of the University of Michigan, our government did not respond fairly to Hurricane María in Puerto Rico, in comparison to Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida. This resulted in a high number of deaths in Puerto Rico, during and after the hurricane where thousands of deaths could have been prevented by proper disaster response.
Here is some information from the article:
The federal government response to Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Hurricane Irma in Florida was “faster and more generous” than its response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Survivors in Texas and Florida received about $100 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds over a nine-day period; María survivors received about $6 million in that time. Researchers also detailed disproportionate levels of federal staffing for the three disaster responses. At its peak, 19,000 federal employees were stationed in Puerto Rico a month after María made landfall, compared to the peak in Texas of 31,000 emergency workers. Puerto Rico also received less food, water, tarps and helicopters than Texas and Florida, according to the study.
Study: Puerto Rico received slower, less “generous” federal disaster aid than Texas, Florida
Survivors of hurricanes Harvey and Irma received millions more in FEMA funds than Hurricane María survivors, according to the study
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