Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria for Bloomberg Businessweek . A horse grazes in a damaged recreational park, Loiza, PR
Armando Rivera Matos uses a tub of water to cool down outside of his home. His neighborhood had been without water and electricity for more than two months. Loiza, PR
Ana Torres cleans off old photographs of her daughters which survived flooding from Hurricane Maria. Humacao, PR
Raphael Lopez Acevedo, age 62, takes a break from shoveling the remains of a massive landslide that fell on the road in front of his home. Raphael is a veteran and with the help of his son had been shoveling the landslide for weeks since it fell after the storm. The mountain region where Raphael lives had hundreds of landslides and because the ground was so unstable after Hurricane Maria, they continued to occur along with flooding from passing storms. Utuado, PR
People access water at a large spring along a road near the town of Utuado. Fed by rainwater and tapped by plastic pipes, these springs provided water for drinking and cleaning. The water from these springs required some form of treatment before drinking due to bacterial contamination. For many people the natural springs were the only accessible water source in the region. Puerto Rico
A family cleans clothing at a natural spring along a road near the town of Utuado. Fed by rainwater and tapped by plastic pipes, these springs provided water for drinking and cleaning. The water from these springs required some form of treatment before drinking due to bacterial contamination. For many people the natural springs were the only accessible water source in the region. Puerto Rico
Hector Torres works on fixing a family members roof in pouring rain. Thousands of homes around the island had lost their roofs during the storm and people had been waiting on tarps from FEMA for nearly a month. With almost daily rain storms the constant flooding has caused further damage and made many homes completely unlivable. Adjuntas, PR
Zulmarie Morillo along with her son Josué, tries to pickup a cellular signal along a busy mountain road. In the months following Maria communication ranged from erratic to non-existent throughout the island. Signal hotspots were sometimes found along highways and in the mountains. Adjuntas, PR
A view of the jungle in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Adjuntas, PR
Angel Gonzalez listens to a small radio for news as to whats happening outside of his mountain community. With no electricity or phone service, radios were the only way for people in remote communities to stay informed. Adjuntas, PR
Damaged satellite dishes in the city of Humacao. The community had faced the initial impact of Hurricane Maria’s landfall with over 200 mph winds. Puerto Rico
Rose Delgato and Justinian Maureceo clean up debris around their home. Their community near Punta Santiago had been completely flooded by Maria’s storm surge, trapping residents for days. Humacao, PR
A construction workers bucket in front of a home being repaired in the heavily damaged community of Punta Santiago. Humacao, PR
The Cruz family's room at the Mission Board Church, one of many shelters throughout the island providing accommodation and food for persons displaced by Hurricane Maria. San Juan, PR
Clothing hangs in the sun to dry at a public school converted into a center for displaced persons. Following the storm thousands of Puerto Ricans suffered severe damage or lost their homes completely, thus having to seek temporary shelter provided by local communities. Families and individuals shared classrooms which had been converted into living quarters. Humacao, PR
David Morales and Keisha Rodriguez begin their day at a public school converted into a temporary shelter for displaced persons. The couple had lost their home in the community of Punta Santiago to Hurricane Maria’s storm surge and violent winds. Humacao, PR
Rafael Melendez Nieves walks toward his bed at a public school converted into a temporary shelter for displaced persons. Rafael had lost his home completely to the storm. He was unsure what he would do next and was suffering from a leg injury and no medication. Humacao, PR
Computers covered by plastic due to flooding in one of Humacao's municipal buildings. The building were the mayor’s office was located, suffered severe damage due to the initial impact of Hurricane Maria’s 200 mph winds.
A broken portrait of Humacao’s mayor Marcelo Trujillo. The building where the mayor’s office was located suffered severe damage due to the initial impact of Hurricane Maria’s 200 mph winds.
Structural damage in the community of Punta Santiago. The community had faced the initial impact of Hurricane Maria’s storm surge and winds of more than 200 mph. Numerous structures in the area were completely destroyed and many residents displaced. Humacao, PR
A horse rests in a structure in the heavily damaged community of Punta Santiago. The community had faced the initial impact of Hurricane Maria’s storm surge and over 200 mph winds. Numerous structures in the area were completely destroyed and many residents displaced. Humacao, PR
Residents from the south eastern city of Humacao, charge their devices at the local municipal building. The building was being run on generators and was one of a few locations were electricity could be accessed.
Samuel Santana uses his breathing machine at the Centro Operacional De Emergencias. The center was one of a few locations in the area where electricity could be accessed. Samuel would visit the center three times per day to use his breathing machine. Humacao, PR
Broken power lines in the mountains near Utuado.
Volunteers from around Puerto Rico send supplies to a cutoff community via zip lines rigged across a river gorge. Since the main bridge was washed away, residents depend on outside contributions to get by. Utuado, PR
Congregants of Inglesia Méthodiste de Puerto Rico speak with local residents about their needs. Pastor Marie Torres noted she had lost six congregants to Hurricane Maria. Utuado, PR
Yelitsa Pagan uses rain water falling from her homes storm drain to clean cloths. The rural mountain area where Yelitsa and her family lived had no running water or electricity. Adjunats, PR
Aid worker Robert Anderson looks over numerous maps that he’s compiled detailing post Hurricane Maria statistics throughout Puerto Rico. San Juan, PR
A stack of supplies that employees of the Education Department will use to prepare meals for residents of hard hit Punto Santiago. The all volunteer group would prepare 800 meals, three times a day. Humacao, PR
A volunteer group from San Juan delivers food and other aid to the island’s interior mountain communities. The volunteers noted that they were initially turned away from bringing aid to the San Juan Convention Center where FEMA was located. They decided to collect and deliver supplies themselves. Adjuntas, PR
Myra Negron and Herminia Gonzalez had not known each other before the storm. In tears Myra explained she has no family left in Puerto Rico and her home was gone. Herminia pointed to a car in the parking lot and explained that was all she had left. The storm had left them homeless and at a temporary shelter for displaced persons they grew close like family. Myra said how she would now call Herminia mom. Adjunats, PR
Flowers left on the roots of a fallen tree in the community of Mariana. The south eastern community had faced the first impact of Hurricane Maria’s catastrophic winds and flooding. Mariana, PR
Nathan Ortiz Maldonado helps watch kids at Proyecto de Apoyo community center in Mariana. Nathan had rode out the storm in Humacao’s arena. While the storm was raging, the arena lost part of its roof causing rain water and wind to pour in. Nathan along with others hide in the arenas offices as they filled with water. After the storm Nathan decided to join volunteers from around Puerto Rico and beyond, to help local residents recover from the storm. Yabucoa, PR
Doris Rios Gonzalez rests in her cot at a center for displaced persons. She had lost her home to Maria and was able to survive the storm in a locked interior room with her dog. Adjuntas, PR
Residents of San Juan attend a traditional cuban dance workshop at El Bastión cultural center. The center run by performance artists Maximiliano Rivas and Anais Nadal, had opened three days after Maria hit Puerto Rico and started providing free workshops to area residents. Although the center had no power for months, they continued to provide workshops focused on theater, dance, yoga and circus.
Farmer Miguel Szendrey-Ramos and his assistant, Josué Ortega, tend to dragon fruit plants recovering from Hurricane Maria. The majority of Miguel’s farm was completely destroyed by the storm. Toa Alta, PR
Red Cross volunteer Maribel Aponte holds a free wifi sign along a main road in Loiza. Many people throughout Puerto Rico had no access to the internet, thus unable to communicate with family nor access sites such as FEMA where they were told to register for assistance. Puerto Rico
Residents of Loiza sit in the shade during a hot afternoon.
The home of Jeff Reardon which was totally destroyed by Hurricane Maria. Jeff had been waiting two months for FEMA to arrive and make a damage assessment before he can begin to rebuild. Maunabo, PR
Ivys Galarza stands by a window in her home at dusk. Ivys’s job had dropped her hours thus reducing her monthly income. That coupled with the unpredictability of daily life in Puerto Rico - from no power and water, reduced security and long lines for most things - had initiated her decision to move to Orlando, Fl with her children. Toa Alta, PR
Jeylianys Torres at her home in Toa Alta. Life after Maria has been a big change for Jeylianys, altering daily activities from hand washing clothes to playing board games and sleeping on the front porch to stay cool. She plans to leave with her mother to Orlando, FL and join other family there. Although Jeylianys looks forward to the move she said she will miss friends whom she has grown up with and her fathers side of the family. Puerto Rico
A cot inside a public school that had been turned into a shelter for displaced persons. Humacao, PR
Jaynice Pizarro with her son Kediel at Mission Board Church in San Juan. Jaynice and Kediel were displaced by the storm as their home was badly damaged and flooded. The church has been a place of refuge for them and other families from the area. Buena Vista
Jose William Rivera sweeps his home while rain water drips though the roof damaged by Maria. Jose was born in this home and after moving to the U.S. and serving in the military, he returned and lived in the house with his grandmother for 30 years. The home was left to Jose in his grandmothers will and although it was heavily damaged he plans to rebuild. San Juan
Environmental damage cause by catastrophic flooding, winds and mudslides during Hurricane Maria. Residents of this area had no electricity or water and continued to deal with the occurrence of mudslides due to unstable land. Utuado, PR
A religious alter raised above flooding in the home of Juan Muniz. The roof of Juan’s home was torn off during the storm and the entire structure was flooded. As he waited for weeks to get in contact with FEMA, the house continued to flood rendering it unlivable. San Juan, PR
Electrical workers straighten a utility poll in the town of Piñones. Hurricane Maria destroyed the island’s electrical grid leaving millions of Puerto Ricans without power for months. It is anticipated that some areas of the island may not have power for 6 months or longer. Puerto Rico
Hector Rivera repairs a wall at the restaurant Hipi Cache. The business was one of many completely destroyed by Hurricane Maria after suffering damage from Hurricane Irma. Owner Juan Batista Fernandez had a team of workers rebuilding the structure in hopes of opening by the end of November. Piñones, PR
A scrap metal yard filled with debris from Hurricane Maria, Maunabo, PR
Josué Cuadrado helps his father look for a buried water line in the town of Mariana. Residents throughout this area still had no electricity or running water two months after Hurricane Maria’s initial impact. Humacao, PR
Orlando González with his grandmother Blanca Hernandez in the bathroom that they sheltered in with three other family members during Hurricane Maria. Aguadilla, PR
Wind turbines that had their blades snapped by Hurricane Maria’s winds. Humacao, PR
Men head toward the horse parade during the Festival del Descubrimiento de Puerto Rico, Aguada, PR