Getty The catastrophic dam
Hurricane Maria is responsible for knocking out of the power in Puerto Rico after she brought Category 5 winds and heavy rain to the area earlier this week. Not long after Maria arrived, it was reported that the entire island was without electricity. Now, a couple of days after the storm’s worst impacts, there is still no power, leaving many families unable to contact loved ones to let them know that they are okay.
If you have family or friends living in Puerto Rico that you’d like to check on, there are a couple of things that you can do. First, you can send an email to maria1@prfaa.pr.gov. This account has been set up as part of the island’s disaster relief team. They ask that you send only one email and include as much information about your loved one(s) as possible. Because of the amount of emails that they are receiving, it may take days for you to hear back. Even still, they ask that you only send one email.
According to Pix11, you may also try calling 202-778-0710. “The line may be busy due to the volume of calls coming in, but officials urge callers to keep trying,” the site reports.
You may also have some luck by calling one of the following numbers.
San Juan 787-294-0277
Mayaguez 787-833-7272 / 787- 833-7373 / 787-833-9494
Arecibo 787-878-3454
Ponce 787- 844-8272
Guayama 787-864-1600 /787- 864-1690
Caguas 787- 655-9643
Ceiba 787-863-3330
Vega Baja 787-965-7770
Humanica 787-852-4049
Thousands of people in the United States have been unsuccessful in trying to find out if their families and/or friends are okay. Even some celebrities, like Jennifer Lopez, have had a difficult time reaching out due to the downed power signals and cell towers.
“What’s on my mind is what’s going on in Puerto Rico. The devastation is beyond belief. Me and my cousin still haven’t been able to hear from our families over there. What’s foremost on my mind and many others is trying to figure out the best way to help. Today, Puerto Rico needs our help. I urge you to support and donate to the efforts of the First Lady of Puerto Rico, Beatriz Areizaga. Together we can help rebuild our island, and the Caribbean,” Lopez said in a recent Instagram video, which you can watch below.
The good news is that communication abilities are expected to improve over the next 72 hours.
