Six Months After Maria, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands Wait for Relief

Six months after Hurricane Maria, blue tarps still cover homes and buildings across Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The number of people who lack power can be counted in the hundreds of thousands.

"The suffering continues on the islands and our fellow citizens need help," said Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of the religious development group Jubilee USA. "It's important that Congress voted for relief aid for the islands. Now we need Congress to increase the aid so that the islands can rebuild to withstand the next storms."

Efforts made by the interfaith group, Jubilee USA Network, moved Congress to pass more than $11 billion in recovery funds and secure "better building" provisions to strengthen infrastructure on the islands. Moody's rating agency estimates that Puerto Rico needs more than $90 billion in funds. In Puerto Rico, the majority of applications for FEMA claims are denied.

"Relief monies need to be expedited for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands," stated LeCompte. "The situation is desperate and too many hurricane victims are still waiting for relief."