Effects of Hurricane Georges in Puerto Rico

The effects of Hurricane Georges in Puerto Rico were some of the worst since Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Hurricane Georges was the first hurricane to cross the entire island since the San Ciprian Hurricane in 1932. Georges formed on September 15 as Tropical Depression Seven off the African coast. Georges strengthened into a Category 4-hurricane on September 19 as it made landfall in the Lesser Antilles. Georges made landfall on the island on September 22 as a Category 2-hurricane. Georges caused $1.9 billion (1998 USD, $2.25 billion 2006 USD) in damage to the island.

Preparations

A hurricane warning was issued for the island on September 19. The warning was discontinued on September 22 at 1500 UTC.cite web
author=John L. Guiney
year=1999-01-05
title=Hurricane Georges Prelimary Report
publisher=National Hurricane Center
accessdate=2007-08-18
url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1998georges.html] More than 1,600 people sought shelter in public buildings on Puerto Rico and the nearby United States Virgin Islands.cite news | url = http://web.archive.org/web/20060829204640/http://www.cnn.com/WEATHER/9809/21/hurricane.georges.01/ | title = Hurricane Georges pounds Caribbean islands | author = Staff writer | publisher = Associated Press (via the Wayback Machine) | date = 1998-09-21 | accessdate = 2007-08-24] Both areas declared a state of emergency and activated the United States National Guard for help. Puerto Rico's governor, Pedro Rosselló began a ban on all liquor sales and forced the police to open all the shelters across the island. Banks and schools closed and flights were cancelled as Puerto Rico braced for the upcoming impact. More than 1,000 people left their homes for shelters in towns of San Juan, Arecibo and Mayagüez.

Impact

Upon making landfall in Puerto Rico, Georges took along a 10 foot storm surge as well as 20 foot ones above the first ones.cite web | url = http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/1998-arlb076.html | publisher = American Radio Relay League | title = Hurricane Georges hits Puerto Rico and moves on | date = 1998-09-22 | accessdate = 2007-08-25] Rainfall totaled out to 30.51 inches in Jayuya with rains of 1-25 inches spread around the rest of the island.cite web | url = http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/georges1998.html | author = David Roth | title = Hurricane Georges - September 19 - October 1, 1998 | work = Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Climatology | accessdate = 2007-08-25] As the mountains' flooding drained off into every river in Puerto Rico and causing them to overflow.cite web | url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/sju/public_report.html | title = Hurricane Georges Preliminary Storm Report | author = Shawn P. Bennett and Rafael Mojica | publisher = National Weather Service | accessdate = 2007-08-25] Three tornadoes were reported to possibly have occurred on Puerto Rico. One was detected just north of Puenta Este in Vieques. A second one was recorded in the Orocovis and Barranquitas general area at about 100 UTC. Doppler radar recorded a third tornado in the Jayuya area. No fatalities were reported on the island. Damages to the utility system was catastrophic. 96% of the electrical system was lost for 1.3 million people. Water and sewer service was lost to 75% of the island's population. Road damage totaled out to $21.995 million. Only 8.4% of the population lost telephone service.

The agricultural sector of Puerto Rico lost at more than 50% of its crops and 65% of its poultry. Equipment, agriculture and manufacturing losses totaled out to $212.9 million a day. Damages to houses were catastrophic, with 28,005 houses were completely destroyed. Another 72,000 were partially destroyed. On the nearby island of Culebra, 74 houses were completely destroyed with 89 getting partial damage. Schools got an estimated $20-25 million in damage. A total damage estimate on Puerto Rico totaled out to $1.907 million.

There were several deaths in Puerto Rico from Georges.cite web | url = http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00055476.htm | title = Deaths Associated with Hurricane Georges -- Puerto Rico, September 1998 | author = CDC | publisher = CDC | accessdate = 2007-08-27] A 28-year old woman died from carbon monoxide poisoning after her generator released the smog. Two others were hospitalized for the same issue. A Bayamon man was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning after fumes entered his store. A mother and her three children were killed as a lit candle set the house on fire. The other two cases were due to head trauma and electrocution.

Aftermath

The Church World Service donated 1,000 bed sheets, 200 light-weight blankets, 1,000 cotton blankets, 2,000 health/first aid kits, 500 kerosene lanterns, 6,000 vials of water purification tablets, 1,000 school kits, 350 layettes, 500 flashlights, 500 sets of batteries, and 1,000 air matresses to the Puerto Rico Council of Churches and other organizations. Total value of the items reached over $100,000 (1998 USD).cite web
author=ReliefWeb
year=1998
title=Expanded emergency appeal : Hurricane Georges
publisher=ReliefWeb
accessdate=2007-08-25
url=http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/ACOS-64DAWQ?OpenDocument] The Federal Emergency Management Agency donated a 50-generator power pack for the island on September 23. The United States Army Corps of Engineers purchased 1 million pounds of ice and gallons of water for distribution. The Army Corps also provided teams of emergency debris clearance and removal.cite web
author=ReliefWeb
year=1998
title=FEMA operates In both response and recovery modes after hurricane Georges hits Puerto Rico and heads toward Florida
publisher=ReliefWeb
accessdate=2007-08-25
url=http://wwwnotes.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/480fa8736b88bbc3c12564f6004c8ad5/03a244915646dfc9c1256689004cd2ad?OpenDocument] New York Yankees manager George Steinbrenner donated $200,000 from the Yankee Foundation to the hardest-hit areas of Puerto Rico and the nearby Dominican Republic.cite web
author=New York Times
year=1998
title=Steinbrenner Will Donate $200,000 for Hurricane Relief Effort
publisher=New York Times
url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10F16FE34580C7A8EDDA90994D0494D81&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/H/Hurricanes%20and%20Tropical%20Storms]

United States and Puerto Rican officials created a 5 year, $1.2 billion plan to build and replace homes destroyed by Georges.cite web
author=USA Today
year=1998
title=FEMA announces housing plan for Puerto Rico
publisher=USA Today
accessdate=2007-08-26
url=http://www.usatoday.com/weather/huricane/1998/wgprmony.htm] The money for this rebuilding process was to be funded by state and local governments and houses were not to be built in landslide-prone areas. FEMA also ordered that they be built stronger as Georges devastated houses made out of wood or corrugated metal. FEMA received more than 190,000 requests for aid and had given more than $65 million in aid checks.

Hurricane Georges caused catastrophic damage to the road system in Puerto Rico.cite web
author=FEMA
year=1999
title=FEMA - Hurricane Georges - Transportation
publisher=FEMA
accessdate=2007-08-26
url=http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=10167] The hurricane had affected over 7000 kilometers of roads and 2100 bridges throughout the island. Most of these effects were structural failure, signs, signal systems, and landslides. The Puerto Rico Department of Transportation and Public Works started an emergency response to clean up the roads. Over 230 teams cleaned up debris and installed four temporary bridges.

See also

*Effects of Hurricane Georges in the Dominican Republic
*Effects of Hurricane Georges in the Lesser Antilles

References

External links