This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/04/us/puerto-rico-death-toll-maria.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Higher Puerto Rico Death Toll Reflects Survey Across Island Higher Puerto Rico Death Toll Reflects Survey Across Island
(about 4 hours later)
SAN JUAN, P.R. — Puerto Rico’s official death toll from Hurricane Maria more than doubled from 16 to 34 two weeks after the storm as a result of a full accounting intended to add up the piecemeal reports from around the island, Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said Wednesday.SAN JUAN, P.R. — Puerto Rico’s official death toll from Hurricane Maria more than doubled from 16 to 34 two weeks after the storm as a result of a full accounting intended to add up the piecemeal reports from around the island, Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said Wednesday.
Governor Rosselló said at a news briefing Wednesday that he had commissioned the accounting to add up the reports slow to arrive from devastated hospitals and local medical agencies. The new tally may still not be complete, but it offers the clearest picture yet of the death toll and how people died during and after Maria, he said.Governor Rosselló said at a news briefing Wednesday that he had commissioned the accounting to add up the reports slow to arrive from devastated hospitals and local medical agencies. The new tally may still not be complete, but it offers the clearest picture yet of the death toll and how people died during and after Maria, he said.
Nineteen people were killed directly by the storm — by drowning, being buried in mudslides, struck by falling objects or otherwise, Governor Rosselló said. He said the others had died indirectly — from a heart attack or suicide, or because they languished without oxygen or necessary medical care as hospitals floundered without power and patients were cut off from care.Nineteen people were killed directly by the storm — by drowning, being buried in mudslides, struck by falling objects or otherwise, Governor Rosselló said. He said the others had died indirectly — from a heart attack or suicide, or because they languished without oxygen or necessary medical care as hospitals floundered without power and patients were cut off from care.
“We were not able to aggregate this complete set of data before,” Governor Rosselló said. “We were getting little bits of certified data, but after yesterday’s effort, we have a more complete picture of what has occurred in terms of direct deaths due to the storm and indirect as well.”“We were not able to aggregate this complete set of data before,” Governor Rosselló said. “We were getting little bits of certified data, but after yesterday’s effort, we have a more complete picture of what has occurred in terms of direct deaths due to the storm and indirect as well.”
Puerto Rican officials have not provided a detailed accounting of when, where and how every death occurred, and they have not released the names of the 34 dead. Hector Pesquera, Puerto Rico’s secretary of public safety, indicated that there were “three to five” deaths that were still being studied to verify whether they were hurricane-related.
“I don’t think this will be the final number,” Mr. Pesquera said. “And we’ve never said it will be.”
Bodies must be inspected directly by the Institute of Forensic Sciences in San Juan before the government certifies a cause of death, he said. But the government was slow to update the death toll because many hospitals were left inaccessible after the hurricane.
“The bodies weren’t coming in,” he said. “There was no way of transporting them. They were in the hospital morgues and there was no communication with hospitals.”
In regard to the two suicides, Mr. Pesquera said, “The people had a panic attack. They couldn’t handle the hurricane, and they committed suicide, according to what family members have told us.”
The government for the first time released a list of the 34 deaths, with cause and location, but has not released the names of the victims.
The government’s official count of the dead stood at 16 for days after the Category 4 hurricane plowed through, even as an island-wide power outage and a widespread lack of diesel raised deep worries about the fate of sick and frail residents who needed hospital treatment, regular dialysis and other necessary care.The government’s official count of the dead stood at 16 for days after the Category 4 hurricane plowed through, even as an island-wide power outage and a widespread lack of diesel raised deep worries about the fate of sick and frail residents who needed hospital treatment, regular dialysis and other necessary care.
The new numbers show that the storm and its aftermath were not only deadlier than originally thought, but deadlier than President Trump apparently realized when he told Puerto Ricans on Tuesday that they should be proud that only 16 had died in the storm.The new numbers show that the storm and its aftermath were not only deadlier than originally thought, but deadlier than President Trump apparently realized when he told Puerto Ricans on Tuesday that they should be proud that only 16 had died in the storm.
“Sixteen versus in the thousands,” Mr. Trump said as he visited the island, comparing the toll with the 1,833 killed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. More than 80 people were killed by Hurricane Harvey, which devastated Texas in late August, according to government figures and news reports.“Sixteen versus in the thousands,” Mr. Trump said as he visited the island, comparing the toll with the 1,833 killed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. More than 80 people were killed by Hurricane Harvey, which devastated Texas in late August, according to government figures and news reports.
At the news conference, Governor Rosselló also responded to Mr. Trump’s comment in an interview with Fox News that his administration could help the island wipe out its crushing $73 billion debt.At the news conference, Governor Rosselló also responded to Mr. Trump’s comment in an interview with Fox News that his administration could help the island wipe out its crushing $73 billion debt.
“That is the president’s opinion,” Governor Rosselló said. “I am concerned only with actions and not words. I am concerned with getting the people of Puerto Rico what they need.”“That is the president’s opinion,” Governor Rosselló said. “I am concerned only with actions and not words. I am concerned with getting the people of Puerto Rico what they need.”
He said 91 percent of the island is still without power with no swift improvement in sight. He said he expects that a month from now, 75 percent will still be without power.He said 91 percent of the island is still without power with no swift improvement in sight. He said he expects that a month from now, 75 percent will still be without power.
Other areas have shown improvement. He said 70 percent of supermarkets and 76 percent of gas stations are now operational, and about 43 percent of the island now has telecommunications, compared with 25 percent last week. Roughly half the island still does not have access to water.Other areas have shown improvement. He said 70 percent of supermarkets and 76 percent of gas stations are now operational, and about 43 percent of the island now has telecommunications, compared with 25 percent last week. Roughly half the island still does not have access to water.
There have been 246,000 applications for Federal Emergency Management Agency individual assistance in the past two days, said Alejandro De La Campa, the FEMA regional director.There have been 246,000 applications for Federal Emergency Management Agency individual assistance in the past two days, said Alejandro De La Campa, the FEMA regional director.