[NYPOST] An angry crowd in earthquake-rattled Puerto Rico stormed a warehouse Saturday after learning that it contained a stash of emergency supplies ‐ that had been sitting untouched since Hurricane Maria slammed the island in 2017.That was... ummm... divide by twelve, carry the nine... two and a half years ago, more or less...
The chaos in the historic city of Ponce comes just one week after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake shook the island, which has yet to recover from the devastation of Maria ‐ a category 5 hurricane that killed more than 3,000 people and left much of the country without electricity.
That word you're probably looking for is 'Corruption.'
Word of the squandered supplies spread online Saturday after blogger Lorenzo Delgado posted a video on Facebook of locals breaking into the warehouse, which is shown to be holding cases of bottled water and other emergency supplies.
We had a similar story about warehouses full of assistance that hadn't been distribute. Apparently thy didn't believe it.
Locals are seen hauling cases out of the warehouse, and — in one image — distributing the supplies to a throng of people outside.
A bit late in the game, but better not to let the stuff go to waste.
"This is outrageous," Ponce Mayor Maria Melendez told news hounds. "Everyone knows what us mayors went through after Hurricane Maria and to try and get help to our cities and how we’ve worked these weeks to provide basic supplies to people affected by earthquakes. Those involved owe us an explanation," she said.
I'm sure Trump's to blame, somehow.
The discovery prompted Gov. Wanda Vazquez to fire the island’s director of emergency management, Carlos Acevedo, and to order a full investigation into the matter.
First step...
"There are thousands of people who have made sacrifices to help those in the south, and it is unforgivable that resources were kept in the warehouse," Vazquez said, noting that the supplies had been in the warehouse since Maria.
The governor has asked the Puerto Rican senate to install Jose Reyes, head of the island’s national guard, as the new commissioner of emergency management.
Secretary of State Elmer Roman told Univision news Saturday that there may also be other warehouses on the island with unused stores of supplies.
He said officials hoped to wrap up the initial probe into the controversy within 48 hours.
"The instructions are clear: All of the supplies that are available will be distributed," Roman told the Spanish-language network.
Related:
Wanda Vazquez: 2020-01-08 Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declares a state of emergency and activates the National Guard following a series of earthquakes
Wanda Vazquez: 2019-07-29 Puerto Rico: new twist in leadership crisis
Wanda Vazquez: 2020-01-08 Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declares a state of emergency and activates the National Guard following a series of earthquakes
Wanda Vazquez: 2019-07-29 Puerto Rico: new twist in leadership crisis
Related:
Hurricane Maria: 2019-09-11 Former top FEMA official busted for taking bribes after Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria: 2019-09-11 Former top FEMA official busted for taking bribes after Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria: 2019-08-13 New Puerto Rico governor suspends contract to rebuild power grid
Hurricane Maria: 2019-09-11 Former top FEMA official busted for taking bribes after Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria: 2019-09-11 Former top FEMA official busted for taking bribes after Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria: 2019-08-13 New Puerto Rico governor suspends contract to rebuild power grid