Hurricane Maria

Hurricane Maria
Name	Hurricane Maria
Type	Hurricane
Year	2017
Basin	Atl
Formed	September 16, 2017
Dissipated	October 2, 2017
1-min winds	150
Pressure	908
Damages	91680
Fatalities	3,059 total
Areas	Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, Eastern United States
Hurricane season	2017 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Maria was a devastating Category 5 hurricane that struck the Caribbean Sea in September 2017 during the highly active 2017 Atlantic hurricane season. It caused catastrophic damage, particularly on the island of Dominica and the United States territory of Puerto Rico, where it triggered a major humanitarian crisis. The storm resulted in thousands of fatalities and is ranked as one of the costliest tropical cyclones on record.

Meteorological history

The system originated from a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa in early September, monitored by the National Hurricane Center. Favorable conditions, including warm Atlantic Ocean waters and low wind shear, allowed it to develop into a tropical depression on September 16 east of the Lesser Antilles. Rapid intensification ensued as it moved west-northwest, with the storm becoming a major hurricane before making its first landfall on Dominica on September 18. After crossing the island, Maria intensified further over the Caribbean Sea, reaching its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph before a second, catastrophic landfall near Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, on September 20. The storm then tracked northward, passing near the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos Islands, before recurring over the open Atlantic and eventually becoming extratropical southeast of Newfoundland.

Preparations

In response to forecasts from the National Hurricane Center, hurricane warnings were issued for numerous islands across the Lesser Antilles, including Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Dominica. Authorities in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, still recovering from Hurricane Irma, initiated large-scale evacuations and opened shelters coordinated by FEMA. The government of the Dominican Republic ordered coastal evacuations, while the Bahamas issued warnings for the Southeastern Bahamas. The United States Navy moved ships from Naval Station Norfolk, and utility companies in the Southeastern United States staged crews for potential response.

Impact

The storm caused catastrophic damage across multiple islands. On Dominica, the capital Roseau was devastated, with nearly all structures damaged and the island's banana crop destroyed. In Puerto Rico, the hurricane caused the largest blackout in American history, collapsing the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority grid and causing widespread flooding, landslides, and destruction of infrastructure, including major damage to the Guajataca Dam. Significant damage also occurred in the U.S. Virgin Islands, particularly on St. Croix, and in parts of the Dominican Republic. The official death toll in Puerto Rico was initially undercounted; subsequent studies, including one by George Washington University, estimated thousands of excess deaths due to the prolonged collapse of critical services. Total economic losses exceeded $90 billion, with agriculture, housing, and tourism sectors severely affected across the region.

Aftermath

The aftermath was marked by a prolonged and critically challenged recovery, especially in Puerto Rico. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the United States Army Corps of Engineers led massive relief efforts, but the scale of the disaster overwhelmed initial responses, leading to widespread criticism of the Trump administration. The slow restoration of power, which took nearly a year for some areas, and inadequate medical services contributed to the high mortality. The event spurred numerous investigations, including by the United States Congress, and led to changes in disaster mortality accounting. International aid was provided by organizations like the Red Cross, and recovery funding was debated extensively in the U.S. House of Representatives.

See also

* Hurricane Irma * 2017 Atlantic hurricane season * Hurricane Mitch * Puerto Rico government debt crisis

References

External links

Category:2017 Atlantic hurricane season Category:Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes Category:Hurricanes in Puerto Rico Category:2017 in Puerto Rico Category:2017 in the Caribbean Category:Natural disasters in the Dominican Republic Category:Natural disasters in the United States