GENEVA — United Nations experts faulted the United States’ response to hurricane devastation in Puerto Rico in a report on Monday, calling it ineffective and lagging far behind the support provided for storm-struck states on the mainland.
More than five weeks after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico with winds of up to 155 miles an hour, conditions remained “alarming” for the island’s 3.5 million people, the group of 11 United Nations independent experts said, calling for a “speedy and well-resourced emergency response.”
Thousands left homeless by the storm had no relief in sight, few of the island’s hospitals were functioning, and there were reports that available water supplies were contaminated, the experts said in a statement. About 30 percent of the normal electric power is being generated on the island, officials in Puerto Rico say.
“We can’t fail to note the dissimilar urgency and priority given to the emergency response in Puerto Rico, compared to the U.S. states affected by hurricanes in recent months,” said Leilani Farha, the United Nations special rapporteur on housing.
The critical report comes as questions continue to swirl around a $300 million contract to help rebuild Puerto Rico’s power grid that was given to a small Montana company.
