CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The people of Puerto Rico are still in “a state of emergency” nearly two months after Hurricane Maria, while some residents of the Virgin Islands are showing signs of post-traumatic stress (PTSD) after surviving two major storms in September.
Meanwhile, Texans affected by August’s Hurricane Harvey are worried that their longer-term needs will be forgotten when the world “goes onto the next story.”
These were the updates from three bishops from hurricane-ravaged dioceses, who nonetheless thanked generous Catholics and donors for their assistance after the storms.
The bishops spoke at a press event today sponsored by Catholic Extension, which has already donated $365,000 to affected dioceses.
Earlier, at the U.S. bishops’ meeting, Catholic Charities USA announced that it had collected $24 million for disaster relief for Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands — all of which will be delivered to the affected areas, according to Dominican Sr. Donna Markham, Charities’ president and CEO.
Archbishop Roberto González Nieves of San Juan reported that, seven weeks after Hurricane Maria, 70 percent of Puerto Rico is still without electricity. “We still need water. We still need food. We still need clothing,” he said.