Hurricane Maria Check-In Thread

September 18, 2017 6:15 PM

I hate that we have to have another one of these threads. Hurricane Maria has just strengthened to Category 5 and appears to be threatening the Caribbean again, most notably Puerto Rico. Caribbean Meifites, please sound off and I hope you're all okay.
posted by PearlRose to MetaFilter-Related at 6:15 PM (29 comments total)

So, for those not following -- the hurricane isn't supposed to hit PR until Wednesday. Normally these posts happen after the fact, but we can have a thread in advance, in case Caribbean Mefites could use a thread to coordinate planning or help or anything.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 6:18 PM on September 18, 2017 [4 favorites]

I believe this is the third in a row to happen before the event, due to improved forecasting and the interest of the community in offering shelter and such. I'm happy to have them happen before the fact.

I can't believe this is happening again like this. I truly hope everyone has good choices to make and opportunity to carry them out.
posted by hippybear at 10:59 PM on September 18, 2017 [9 favorites]

Thank you for posting this. And thank you, LobsterMitten for posting in advance. Hope everyone stays safe and sound.
posted by zarq at 5:43 AM on September 19, 2017

Stay safe, everyone. <3
posted by cooker girl at 7:00 AM on September 19, 2017

Hoping snofoam is ok.
posted by melissasaurus at 7:12 AM on September 19, 2017

Stay safe. I cannot imagine what everyone is going through in that part of the world. Reach out to us if you need anything, this community will help if we can in any way. All the best.
posted by Fizz at 7:24 AM on September 19, 2017 [3 favorites]

Good luck to all involved. San Juan (other folks on the big island, you too), Vieques, Culebra, all of ya.
posted by RolandOfEld at 10:37 AM on September 19, 2017

Ponce. Our island is going to be hit by a MagLev freight train.
With a direct hit here, (it's trending north of us) come tomorrow I could be without a job or home.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 11:23 AM on September 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

When I said north of us, I meant north of Ponce, not north of Puerto Rico.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 11:35 AM on September 19, 2017

dances_with_sneetches, stay safe, we'll be thinking of you.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 1:31 PM on September 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

175 mph for 8 pm.
A dropsonde read 195 mph, but the NHC has not confirmed that (could have been a gust). If the NHC goes with the dropsonde figure, that would probably come in an update. 195 mph is the fastest known landfall of any hurricane. (Haiyan)
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:08 PM on September 19, 2017 [1 favorite]

dances_with_sneeches, I hope you have somewhere safe to be & that you will not be afraid to ask for help if you need it afterwards. I have only driven through Ponce, stoping only for gas, but I thought is was a charming, lovely town. Hoping for the best.
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:30 PM on September 19, 2017

Thanks. My home is concrete walls, one floor. I am far from a river (a quarter mile) and the beach is 3 miles away. Me and my family should be okay. If we get the full brunt (unlikely as of now), we could lose our roof and a house without a roof in a hurricane, well the walls are of little help.
We are well-versed in hurricane survival.
My office is in a mobile home (put there for expansion).
In eastern Puerto Rico, it will be devastating. Up through San Juan it will be very bad. Unless at the last minute it changes tracks. I don't think it will be less than a Category 5 at landfall in Puerto Rico, even if it does weaken.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:51 PM on September 19, 2017

This is a hard hurricane season. My thoughts are with all of the affected islands and I hope all of the Mefites there stay safe.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:35 PM on September 19, 2017

Thanks. The hurricane has been wobbling, seemingly to the south part of the island. Some amateur hurricane watchers are derisively called doomcasters, some are called wobblecasters. I guess I'm both right now.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 8:20 PM on September 19, 2017

Fuck. Not good.
posted by RolandOfEld at 8:32 AM on September 20, 2017

BBC: Hurricane Maria: Whole of Puerto Rico without power
posted by ZeusHumms at 11:09 AM on September 20, 2017

I'm on pins and needles waiting for news from friends and colleagues in Puerto Rico - hoping that they made it safely, and that our telescope also survived. The silence is just ... Argh.
posted by RedOrGreen at 11:24 AM on September 20, 2017

Does anyone have recommendations for reputable and effective organizations to donate money to for longer-term help with recovery and reconstruction?

I have a large family of in-laws in PR, and thankfully everyone is safe, but of course the damage is unimaginably bad — roofs torn off, houses flooded, cars totaled, etc. Fortunately for them, the people I know personally who suffered the worst damage are probably most able to afford to rebuild (or might be insured). But obviously that is not true in general. It would be great to help people who wouldn't otherwise have the means to rebuild in concrete so they have a safe place to weather the next storm, and the many to follow.
posted by mubba at 7:51 PM on September 21, 2017

Donation recommendations aia a Puerto Rican colleague.
posted by spamandkimchi at 5:04 PM on September 22, 2017 [3 favorites]

This is my concept sentence of the day. Helps me to grasp the scale of the event. From a NY Times article, a description.

"Hundreds tried to salvage their cars by driving them to higher ground and then had to swim back to their homes. "
posted by Oyéah at 9:19 AM on September 23, 2017

We've been getting ham radio reports trickling out, and now have some semi-official reports out of Arecibo. People ok, some serious damage, not as bad as it might have been.

Update from Nadia Drake.
posted by RedOrGreen at 7:12 PM on September 23, 2017

If anyone here is in Aguadilla or Moca, can you Memail me? Looking for family members.
posted by corb at 4:10 PM on September 25, 2017

dances_with_sneetches, I hope you're okay. I'm sure it's not your top priority right now, but I'll be watching this space for any news whenever you get internet access.
posted by biogeo at 9:05 PM on September 25, 2017 [3 favorites]

The situation is going to move from being a disaster to being a tragedy if things aren't done soon. How do we get our government to respond to this disaster RIGHT FUCKING NOW with a massive military rescue mission flooding the island with supplies and water and medical aid and everything they FUCKING NEED RIGHT NOW

I AM SO ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED IT'S KATRINA ALL OVER AGAIN ONLY THIS TIME IT'S AN ISLAND AND THEY CAN'T RESCUE THEMSELVES EVEN IF THEY WANT TO.
posted by hippybear at 9:45 PM on September 25, 2017 [2 favorites]

My childhood best friend's family is from Puerto Rico, near Barranquitas, which is in the mountains in the middle of the island. As best as we can tell, they're still doing all right, but there's been tons of damage to homes. Still, it seems things are pretty precarious, because the main road in and out of the area was blocked completely by the storm. I have no idea if they're restored road access yet, because the communication is so spotty right now.

It's just really horrible.

dances_with_sneetches, I hope you're doing okay, too. I know communication is really difficult right now, but I've been thinking of you a lot and hope you're in a relatively safe area for the moment.
posted by PearlRose at 6:41 AM on September 26, 2017 [3 favorites]

First time with internet cellular for a week. No phones. Communication has been totally in dark. First day contacting family. No electricity. Water is back. Line for banks are five hours plus. Short sentences because I'm afraid connection Wil disappear. House minor damage. Others destroyed. Bye for now. Others to contact.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 8:20 AM on September 30, 2017 [14 favorites]

Thank you for using a little bit of your internet to check in With us. Sincerely.
posted by Room 641-A at 5:52 PM on September 30, 2017 [2 favorites]

I have internet at my office today. 85% of the island is still without electricity (along with my home). 28% of cell towers operating. (this is I have read in USA Today. Finding out any coherent information is satisfying.
I posted this on my blog about some of my impressions for the first couple of weeks.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 12:56 PM on October 9, 2017 [7 favorites]