quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I can't fathom 4 to 6 months without electricity. The cities will be unlivable very quickly. I hope they still have a lot of rural areas for kindling and water and whatnot.

Yeah, this is close to an EMP type of event, just terrible if true. At least they have operating trucks, cars and generators. Long term electrical outage will place a heavy toll on life in PR. Hopefully they can rebuild their electrical grid way sooner than a couple of months.

quote:

I can't fathom 4 to 6 months without electricity.

I doubt if we'll let that happen. We'll just print some more money and bail them out.

quote:

I wonder how many folks who are bad-mouthing Puerto Rico have actually been there.

I wonder how that is relative to the facts on the ground?

Take a Hard Right, Maria - Apologies to R.B. Greaves
By Dave Steier / Rolan Kraps - Link to original song: https://youtu.be/Z9Y0x1jLkLg
Last night as I got home, I turned on CNN.
There was Jim Cantore in Puerto Rico, in the eye of a Hurricane
I lost my cool, its just too cruel, Irma's still causin' pain
I packed some clothes, gassed up the car, and I'm leaving Florida again

So take a hard right, Maria, and spare the everglades
I ain't never getting' Power, at least not in county Dade
So take a hard right, Maria, and we'll have it made.
Send your sorry ass out to sea, while we wait for FEMA aid.

Harvey flooded Texas, he caused every one to flee
Irma wrecked the Caicos, and in the Turks sounded like a Banshee
I was wrong to try to wait her out with a bottle of Chablis
The Storm Surge took me out left my home in misery.

So take a hard right, Maria, and spare the everglades
I ain't never getting' Power, at least not in county Dade
So take a hard right, Maria, and we'll have it made.
Send your sorry ass out to sea, while we wait for FEMA aid.

When a storm this big hit, it's hard to understand
That we could have three storms in such a short timespan.
So Maria, won't you hear our plea?
And take a hard right, and blow your ass out to sea!

So take a hard right, Maria, and spare the everglades
I ain't never getting' Power, at least not in county Dade

I think what's going to happen is we are going to see a massive military deployment to PR to help them get things under control and cope if they really will be 4-6 months without electricity.

I have been to PR many times over the years both with the navy and with my current company. We have 5 manufacturing facilities and a business center there.

It is an incredible place and the people I have known there have been wonderful but there is a culture of corruption and welfare and the crime is terrible. My last trip down there I meet up with one of our managers out of New Jersey who grew up there and his family still lives there. On the ride in from the airport he was pointing out areas where the police don’t go into. It was interesting hearing his insight into the issues the island has been facing.

I wish for the best for them and expect the government to pour massive resources into it, but I feel it will be more like New Orleans than Texas.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

I can't fathom 4 to 6 months without electricity.

I doubt if we'll let that happen. We'll just print some more money and bail them out.

Just printing money is not going to speed up the process. You are going to have to get all the equipment, materials, and workers there.
It is not like Florida where line crews just load up their gear and equipment and head south on I75 from northern states.

The materials and equipment they have down there are quite dismal. We stayed at the Ritz and the inferior materials they have available are very noticeable.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I think what's going to happen is we are going to see a massive military deployment to PR to help them get things under control and cope if they really will be 4-6 months without electricity.

It's also going to have a HUGE effect on their economy, no electric and rebuilding will take 4x as long, and no tourism which there economy is so heavily based on. No money, no jobs, and even more people looting and stealing to survive.

I would imagine places like San Juan, the airport, and resort areas are going to go back online first, not just because it's incoming revenue but they most likely have the newest power technology, that along with larger business centers, no income no payroll no spending no tax revenue....

We'll probably see a massive influx of PR to Florida to live with relatives that have already left the Island, at least while the place is being rebuilt, those that can afford to leave or have friends in positions to buy tickets on planes will be here, the second wave of the PR invasion on FL...

Most of the rural areas are going to be the 4 to 6 months, just to get the materials there, and the logistics of getting the people and trucks there to help, you can't just drive over like they did for FL, and we're still working on getting power up at least we're down from millions without power to hundreds of thousands...

The industrial and especially Pharma areas will be 1st to come on line - more than tourism.

Lots of $$$ sitting idle for deep pocket owners to do nothing

current track forecast has Maria turning away from U.S. coast

There is some cell phone towers up temporarily. I have 3 great ladies I've grown up as aunts there. I finally got a phone message this evening to one that lives in Ponce. She is still has not been in contact with the other family.

quote:

Originally posted by FRANKT:

quote:

I wonder how many folks who are bad-mouthing Puerto Rico have actually been there.

I wonder how that is relative to the facts on the ground?

I have been to Puerto Rico around 20 different times maybe more, dating back to 1990 and the last time I was there was about a year ago. Puerto Rico was a very beautiful and great place to visit, up until about 10 years ago. The economy has gotten pretty bad due to some governmental changes. BUT, the biggest one is there are a ton of drug addicts and a ton of crime now. In tourist places where you once felt safe walking down the sidewalk, you're now asking for a death wish at night. I read somewhere that the current stats are 1 in 7 Puerto Ricans over 18 are addicted to drugs.

It would have a great effect on how things go on the ground after the storm in regards to crime and personal safety of normal people.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

quote:

Originally posted by FRANKT:

quote:

I wonder how many folks who are bad-mouthing Puerto Rico have actually been there.

I wonder how that is relative to the facts on the ground?

I have been to Puerto Rico around 20 different times maybe more, dating back to 1990 and the last time I was there was about a year ago. Puerto Rico was a very beautiful and great place to visit, up until about 10 years ago. The economy has gotten pretty bad due to some governmental changes. BUT, the biggest one is there are a ton of drug addicts and a ton of crime now. In tourist places where you once felt safe walking down the sidewalk, you're now asking for a death wish at night. I read somewhere that the current stats are 1 in 7 Puerto Ricans over 18 are addicted to drugs.

It would have a great effect on how things go on the ground after the storm in regards to crime and personal safety of normal people.

I fear you may have missed the point of my question. An earlier post insinuated that unless you've actually seen him, one's comments on the very well-known 800 lb. gorilla in the room may be unfounded and therefore suspect. I simply asked why that would be so.

Definitely hope that our PR friends end up better off than before and continued thoughts and prayers for them. While my Latin heritage is Cuban, I have quite a few friends and acquaintances that are from PR and/or have family there they have not been able to communicate with yet. While I have been there on a couple of occasions, it has been a couple of decades since my last visit, but the people I know have echoed the observation of others that have posted here regarding the political, economic, social, and infrastructure issues they are facing in recent years.

I truly hope that improvements are the case in any of the areas affected by storms and catastrophies recently, both here and abroad. They should absolutely take this opportunity to make infrastructure
and construction improvements , not just repairs to get things up and working.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/n...Maria-446870113.html

A dam in northwest Puerto Rico is failing, causing flash flooding and prompting emergency evacuations Friday, the National Weather Service said.

Operators of the Guajataca Dam said it failed at 2:10 p.m. ET, prompting the NWS to issue a flash flood emergency warning for Isabela and Quebradillas municipalities, the agency said in three tweets.

quote:

Originally posted by oddball:

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:
I can't fathom 4 to 6 months without electricity. The cities will be unlivable very quickly. I hope they still have a lot of rural areas for kindling and water and whatnot.

Yeah, this is close to an EMP type of event, just terrible if true. At least they have operating trucks, cars and generators. Long term electrical outage will place a heavy toll on life in PR. Hopefully they can rebuild their electrical grid way sooner than a couple of months.

No grid power means no pumps at gas stations. Trucks, cars and generators will stop after stored fuel is gone. This is a devastating event.

I've worked for PREPA (power authority) on environmental issues in years past. Good people, but really bad infrastructure. If the power plants took hits, that will be the critical path (along with getting the lines and poles back up) - wondering if major distribution transformers are shorted (which is the EMP like hit)?

This is going to need a massive Federal response.

If electrical service is out for months, look for a large part of the population of PR to relocate up to the CONUS.

Bet the US Navy would be on the spot helping...
Navy closes last base in Puerto Rico

latest Maria track forecast somewhat closer to U.S. coast.