Hurricane Maria
As Governor Rosselló Resigns, Questions About Puerto Rico Voting and Representation Resurface
After being controlled by the federal government for over a century, could Puerto Rico be on a path to statehood?
What Are the Protests in Puerto Rico Really About?
Though leaked messages and a corruption scandal have brought thousands to the streets, frustrations on the island run much deeper.
A Feminist Heist Novel Set in the Aftermath of Hurricane Maria
Aya de Leon discusses her latest book—and why heist and romance novels lend themselves to political content.
Young Puerto Ricans Are Leaving the Island to Escape the Territory's Debt
In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, many college-aged Puerto Ricans are pursuing jobs elsewhere. Others are now deciding to stay.
The Senate Fails to Pass an Emergency Relief Bill Over Puerto Rico Provisions
The bill's failure exemplifies the current political polarization in Congress as it continues to grapple with disaster relief legislation.
Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
Puerto Rico deals with cuts to food stamps, LBGT support wanes among young Republicans, and the mystery behind sea-borne Garfield phones is solved.
How Neglect and Indifference Killed Puerto Ricans After Hurricane Maria
A new project reveals the extent of preventable deaths in the wake of the 2017 hurricane.
One Year After Hurricane Maria, Women's Health Providers in Puerto Rico Report a 'Slow' Recovery Process
Pacific Standard spoke with Blanca Cuevas, the director of a reproductive health non-profit based on the island.
A New Database Tracks the Fate of Hurricane Maria's Indirect Victims
Three organizations collected reports from Puerto Ricans who believed their loved ones died as a result of Hurricane Maria but whose death certificates didn't indicate storm conditions as a cause of death.
FEMA Deployed Thousands of Underqualified Staffers to Respond to Disasters in 2017
A new report looks at how the government responded to a quick succession of hurricanes and wildfires last year.
A New Study Finds That Hurricane Maria's Death Toll Was 2,975
This new death toll is more than twice as high as the estimates the Puerto Rican government released earlier this month.
Officials Finally Acknowledged Hurricane Maria's Higher Death Toll. What Else Did They Get Wrong?
For months, Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rosselló refused to admit his government might have undercounted—and this is not the only spurious claim made since the disaster.
Puerto Rican Hurricane Refugees Are Safe From Eviction for One More Month
A federal judge issued an order on Wednesday that will prevent hundreds of Puerto Rican families who fled from Hurricane Maria from being evicted from hotels and motels across the United States—at least until August 31st.
A Temporary Housing Program for Displaced Puerto Ricans Is Granted an Extension
A federal judge ruled Tuesday to extend a Federal Emergency Management Agency program providing temporary housing to Puerto Ricans lacking shelter in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
Puerto Rico Releases Records Suggesting a Higher Death Count After Hurricane Maria
The records indicate 1,427 more people died on the island in the months following the hurricane than would be expected in a normal year.
America Is Not Ready for Disability Disaster Response in the Coming Hurricane Season
FEMA and the Red Cross talk a good game, but the disability community is skeptical.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season Starts Today
And many of the regions hit hardest by last year's historic hurricane season haven't fully recovered yet.
The Real Cost of Trump's Negligence in Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria is officially the deadliest storm in modern U.S. history—yet it received just a fraction of the aid given to Houston.
After the Storm: Hurricane Maria Refugees Resettle in Amish Country
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is a small town with a long history of integrating Puerto Rican families, but this most recent influx is putting its resources to the test.
Whitefish Discloses $150,000 Sum Spent on Lobbyists After Scrutiny of Puerto Rico Power Deal
Despite Whitefish's small size, the energy company was hired to help restore electrical service to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
NOAA Announces 2017 Was Costliest Disaster Year
The total cost of $306 billion was mostly attributed to hurricanes and wildfires.
Puerto Rico’s Governor Orders Review of All Deaths Since Hurricane Maria
Ricardo A. Rosselló now admits that the toll "may be higher than the official count certified to date."
FEMA Plans to Airlift Puerto Ricans to U.S. Mainland
This is the first time FEMA has offered an air breach.
Puerto Rico's Recovery Is Essential for Our Economy
Even if you ignore the obvious moral necessity for the government to assist Puerto Rico, the government should not ignore its economic and military necessity.