San Juan, October 25 (RHC)-- In Puerto Rico, less than 10 percent of the island’s public schools were able to resume classes on Tuesday -- now more than one month after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. Of the schools that were able to reopen, most had no electricity or Internet access.
On Tuesday, Congress approved a $36.5 billion emergency spending plan to fund the recovery from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. The spending plan gives Puerto Rico access to $4.9 billion in loans. The plan also gives billions to FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program.
At least 80 percent of Puerto Rico still has no electricity, and about a quarter of the island still lacks clean drinking water. There are dozens of suspected cases of the leptospirosis, a potentially fatal bacterial infection caused by contact with water contaminated by animal urine. Authorities are investigating whether four deaths were caused by the disease.