An Assessment Team from Malteser International Americas touched down in Puerto Rico in November to meet with the Puerto Rican Delegation of the Order of Malta and to identify gaps in relief that could be filled in the rehabilitation/reconstruction phases moving forward in the long term phase of recovery. During the visit, the Team visited the current, highly-functioning and far-reaching, emergency distribution activities of the Delegation in the Guaynabo, District of San Juan and Punta Santiago, District of Humacao.

Malteser International Americas will continue their ongoing support of the Delegation's food distribution sites, while identifying future longer-term assistance for families in the regions that were hardest hit when Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 hurricane, caused catastrophic damage and created a major humanitarian crisis in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Maria was the strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in almost a century and caused an island-wide communication black-out by destroying the communication and power network for the 3.41 million residents on the island.

Hurricane Maria has significantly damaged key transportation, communication, and electricity infrastructure across the island which in turn have exacerbated already challenged health conditions. Immediately after the hurricane, there was virtually no electricity, available water, or transportation access on the island.

Malteser International Americas' continued focus in Puerto Rico will be on helping the most affected areas and those individuals and families who are vulnerable and forgotten by other relief sources, in the organization's sectors of expertise: Health, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene), FNS (food and nutrition security), DRM (disaster risk management).

Donate to long term recovery efforts today.

PROJECT GALLERY

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