SoylentNews

takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Puerto Rico increases Hurricane Maria death toll to 2,975 [bbc.com]

Officials in Puerto Rico now say 2,975 people died following Hurricane Maria - a devastating storm that struck the US island territory in September 2017. The revised death toll is nearly 50 times the previous estimate of 64.

Governor Ricardo Rossello "accepted" the findings in a long-awaited independent investigation. The mayor of the capital, San Juan, accused the US government of deliberately downplaying the impact of the storm.

Puerto Rico has struggled to repair its infrastructure and power grid since the storm, and is asking US Congress for $139bn (£108bn) in recovery funds.

[...] The government's initial number was for those killed directly by the hurricane, crushed by collapsing buildings, drowned or hit by flying debris. But the new report also counted those who died in the six months following the storm as a result of poor healthcare provision and a lack of electricity and clean water. Repeated power cuts also led to an increased number of deaths from diabetes and sepsis.

Ascertainment of the Estimated Excess Mortality from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico [gwu.edu]

Previously: Puerto Rican Death Toll From Hurricane Maria May be Many Times Higher Than Official Estimate [soylentnews.org]

Original Submission