It's that time of year again and the island is going crazy. It is no secret that Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Maria just a few months ago and left the island in terrible conditions, some of which are yet to be resolved. And now there is word of another storm coming, quite literally. Once called category 1Hurricane Beryl, now a tropical storm, has a promising prognostic of reducing intensity; nevertheless, the island remains on high alert. With what I can best describe as 'seasonal PTSD,' no one in the island is willing to risk being unprepared after what they went through less than a year ago. What truly worries me, however, is the people that cannot prepare this time, since they have nothing.
Hurricane Maria destroyed 87,094 homes and left 385,703 others with major damage. Though Tropical Storm Beryl would not be nearly as destructive as Hurricane Maria, the people that have little to nothing left stand to lose everything in potential damages. On the other hand, citizens are practically rushing to supermarkets buying just about any supply in hopes of being prepared if push comes to shove. It doesn't help that fuel prices rose significantly after Hurricane Maria, but having a few gallons is essential to be prepared.
The storm is supposed to touch ground in Puerto Rico Sunday night. We're hoping for simple winds and light rain, but we know that's wishful thinking. Keep the islands in your thoughts.