Puerto Ricans Arrive in New York After Hurricane
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2024
- (27 Sep 2017) From Florida to Massachusetts, Puerto Ricans on the U.S. mainland are scrambling to help relatives on the hurricane-battered island leave at the earliest opportunity.
With power out across nearly the entire island, families were anxious to get out elderly and other vulnerable relatives, in particular, amid concerns about access to food and fresh water.
Leaving, though, is a challenge. Just a few commercial flights are departing each day from the capital city of San Juan.
Yadira Perez Marcano was one of the lucky few to snare a seat on the solitary Delta flight to New York City's Kennedy Airport on Tuesday.
Passengers cheered when the plane landed at around 6:20 p.m., but Perez Marcano, whose apartment building in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, shook violently through the storm, said she had "mixed feelings" about leaving the destruction behind for the comfort of a sister's home outside New York City.
"Oh my God. I left back my family, friends and co-workers. And I'm here. They don't have water. They don't have lights. They don't have so many things they need, and that makes me really sad," she said, starting to cry.
Perez Marcano said she already is hoping to head back as soon as Sunday - with a load of batteries and other emergency supplies.
As U.S. citizens, Puerto Ricans can come and go as they please between the island and the U.S. mainland. Over the last decade some 450,000 islanders have moved to the mainland in search of better jobs.
The scale of the devastation from Hurricane Maria, which tore across the island as a Category 4 storm last week, has left many more wondering whether it may be their time to leave. But the extent of any new, hurricane-driven influx will not be known for several weeks once commercial flights resume regular schedules.
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Welcome to the mainland sister!
Here's one thing our government is forgetting. A massive exodus of PRs from the island are Americans who can vote in the next gubernatorial and presidential elections. Republicans better get on their good side. There are almost five million living on the mainland before the economic collapse and hurricane. Another 1 to 2 million more will easily travel over now.
Heru- deshet too bad they haven't been treated as Americans since day one. the comments I read are like a cancer.
I agree, it's been horrible. I've studied Puerto Rico's history since before the U.S. got them along with Cuba and the Philippines in 1898. I think that's why PRs maintain their cultural pride. I'm not surprised every PR doesn't hate the mainland U.S. as much as their past Nationalists have.
The damage is over GO BACK HOME!
better off coming to philly its cheaper.. glad u safe tho
look at this refugee
luis suarez yea....an American Citizen at that!
What?
That was a reply to the guy that called us American citizens refugees, oviously he never studied history,
What a moron USA now Canada and Mexico in 1785 were Spanish possesions including territories like LOUISIANA. The name of North America was NEW SPAIN