Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico: Disaster, Vulnerability & Resiliency

Hurricane Maria brought catastrophic devastation and destruction to Puerto Rico in 2017, with an estimated 2,975 lost lives. The storm exacerbated the island's severe economic crisis, known as La Crisis Boricua, resulting in lost industry, jobs, infrastructure, and federal legislation restricting fiscal policy decisions. This volume examines the effects of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Ricans on the island and the U.S. mainland, covering topics such as labor market outcomes, health implications, artistic expression, civic engagement, and disaster response and recovery.

Format: Hardback
Length: 246 pages
Publication date: 30 September 2021
Publisher: Lexington Books

The near-Category 5 Hurricane Maria caused catastrophic devastation and destruction as it diagonally crossed the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from the southeast to the northwest on September 20, 2017. With an official death toll estimate of 2,975 lost lives, this record storm became one of the most devastating hurricanes not only for Puerto Rico but for the U.S. Many of these deaths, as well as the prolonged human suffering, were attributed to inadequate disaster response and slow restoration of basic services (including running water, electricity, and the provision and distribution of food and medicine), rather than the direct impact of the hurricane itself.

At the same time, Hurricane Maria made landfall when Puerto Rico had been confronting a severe economic crisis surging for over a decade. This crisis, referred to as La Crisis Boricua, was characterized by a significant loss of industry and jobs, a deteriorating infrastructure, record net outmigration, a shrinking and rapidly aging population, rising healthcare under-coverage, a bankrupt government, and federal legislation restricting fiscal policy decisions made by elected officials on the island. Thus, Hurricane Maria exacerbated the effects of La Crisis Boricua on the socioeconomic, health, and demographic outcomes affecting Puerto Ricans on the island and U.S. mainland.

Bringing together scholars from a wide variety of disciplines (including economics, sociology, demography, health, psychology, disaster research, political science, education, the arts, and others), this volume represents one of the first interdisciplinary sets of studies dedicated to analyzing the effects of Hurricane Maria on island and stateside Puerto Ricans. Specific topics covered in this volume include:

The immediate impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico, including the destruction of homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods.

The long-term consequences of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico's economy, healthcare system, and social fabric, including the loss of jobs, rising poverty rates, and increased food insecurity.

The role of government response and resilience efforts in mitigating the effects of Hurricane Maria and addressing the underlying economic and social challenges facing Puerto Rico.

The experiences and perspectives of Puerto Ricans on the island and in the U.S. mainland in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, including the challenges of displacement, trauma, and cultural identity.

The political and social implications of Hurricane Maria, including the role of federal government assistance, state and local government responses, and community organizing efforts in rebuilding and recovering from the storm.

The impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico's relationship with the U.S. mainland and the broader international community, including the implications for U.S. foreign policy and international aid.

The lessons learned from Hurricane Maria and the opportunities for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in Puerto Rico and other vulnerable regions.

This volume provides a comprehensive and interdisciplinary analysis of the effects of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico and its impact on the island and stateside Puerto Rican communities. It is a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and community members interested in understanding the complex and multifaceted challenges facing Puerto Rico and its people in the aftermath of this devastating storm.

Weight: 567g
Dimension: 228 x 161 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793603074