Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Sign up for Axios Pro Rata
Dive into the world of dealmakers across VC, PE and M&A with Axios Pro Rata. Delivered daily to your inbox by Dan Primack and Kia Kokalitcheva.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Want a daily digest of the top Nashville news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Nashville newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Columbus news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Columbus newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Dallas news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Dallas newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Austin news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Austin newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Atlanta news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Atlanta newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Philadelphia news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Philadelphia newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Chicago news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Chicago newsletter.
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Want a daily digest of the top DC news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios DC newsletter.
Efrain Diaz Figueroa spends the afternoon sitting on a chair next to the remains of the house of his sister destroyed by Hurricane Maria in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Photo: Ramon Espinosa / AP
Twenty days after Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, the island is still far from recovered. 84% of the island is without power, 37% is without potable water, and 14% of grocery stores are still closed.
The official death toll rose to 43 Tuesday, according to a a government official, as islanders continue to suffer from infections, bad road conditions and other consequences of the storm. Meanwhile, the actual tally is expected to be much higher, as several smaller Puerto Rican communities have been unable to communicate their losses. Directors of funeral homes located farther from the capital told BuzzFeed that they have received significantly more bodies than the "certified" tally the government has released.
The latest on what we know from Puerto Rico, per FEMA and the PR government site:
- Boots on the ground: More than 19,000 federal civilian personnel and military service members, including more than 1,400 FEMA personnel, are on the ground in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- State help: 22 U.S. states are supporting 83 requests for mutual aid in PR. 15 states are supporting 38 requests for mutual aid in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Electricity: 16% of the island has power, and roughly 33% of cell towers have been restored.
- Food: Approximately 86% of grocery stores are open, up from 77% Monday.
- Gas: Roughly 78% of retail gas stations are operational (860 of 1,100).
- Shelter: 6,067 people remain in shelters across the island. 112 shelters are open and operating.
- Transportation: Only 392 miles of Puerto Rico's 5,073 miles of roads are open. All commercial airports and federally maintained ports are open or open with restrictions.
- Water and waste: Approximately 63% of Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) customers have potable water, and additional water is being provided by bottled and bulk water. 58% of waste water treatment plants are working on generator power.
- Medical care: All hospitals are open and operating, but only 25 are working with electricity. The others remain on backup power systems, and most are without air conditioning. 96% of Dialysis Centers are open, but several are still running on generators.
- Banks: 56% of bank branches (175 of 313) are open and operating.
Go deeper: Puerto Rico's Health Care Is in Dire Condition (N.Y. Times); Emergency aid distribution stalled in Puerto Rico (Axios); Puerto Rico's $74 Billion Burden Left It Helpless (Bloomberg).