Puerto Rico - Hurricane Maria damages thousands of homes and the Salesians prepare to help

22 September 2017

(ANS - San Juan) - Hurricane Maria has caused heavy damage and at least 14 deaths in Puerto Rico. Dr Carmen Yulín Cruz, mayor of the country's capital, San Juan, which has about 390,000 inhabitants, explained that at the moment "it is very difficult to calculate the damage and the number of houses destroyed." The Mayor of Fajardo City, Dr Aníbal Meléndez, said, "I have never seen my city so devastated." After striking Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria has decreased in intensity and is now headed towards the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic.

Both in Puerto Rico and in the Dominican Republic, the Salesians have a number of educational works, parishes, oratories and youth centers, and they are preparing to organize relief aid for people left homeless, without water, without food.

Fr Adan Marrero expressed through a Whatsapp message that "Thanks to God, the Salesians are well, without problems and sheltered... but...without communications."

Fr Marrero also sent some pictures of the parish house, the parish and "San Francesco" of Cataño. "Puerto Rico has been devastated by the passage of the hurricane. 100% of the island is without electricity. Many people have lost their homes. The Salesians have suffered damage to infrastructure, sports grounds, schools and community residences, but we thank God for all the confreres and our beneficiaries are safe." He concluded by saying that calculating the cost of the damage is difficult at the present time because "many transmission towers have fallen and we are without electricity."

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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