After a whirlwind tour Tuesday of some of the hardest-hit areas in Puerto Rico, Governor Cuomo met privately with the island’s governor Wednesday morning. He then outlined what New York is looking to provide in the way of assistance going forward.
“We don’t have many numbers yet. We will go back and put it together,” Cuomo said after the meeting. “We have to add up the power personnel from NYPA. Engineers, structural engineers, once the tremors have subsided to the point that you can do an inspection.”
Unlike after Hurricane Maria, which ravaged the island more than two years ago, the aftereffects of last week’s earthquake are taking less of a physical toll in the way of injuries. Instead, the damage here has been psychological—with many people fearful to leave outdoor shelters and return to their homes.
It's all been exacerbated by a series of aftershocks and tremors.
Along for the trip, Ken Raske from the Greater New York Hospital Association promised to help deliver mental health services.
“Stress is a different ailment. It takes a different set of treatments,” said Raske. “The call had been out by me to all the healthcare systems throughout New York to send volunteers.”
On Wednesday, the federal governor agreed to release disaster aid funding that was promised to the island after Hurricane Maria. A total of $20 billion in funding was pledged, with $8 billion being made available initially.
“The $8 billion was for mitigation,” said Cuomo. “Mitigation for activities to take place that would mitigate the damage if there was a disaster. A little late to be giving Puerto Rico mitigation funds. Wouldn’t it have been nice if they had provided the mitigation funds two years ago when they were supposed to.”
Cuomo says that money could have been used to harden the electrical grid and power lines, which were once again damaged in the earthquake.
“It seems like the leadership in Washington, despite everything that’s been said,” Bronx Assemblyman Marcos Crespo said. “And everything that’s happened over the last two years still hasn’t learned a very simple civics lesson. We are American citizens. We are American taxpayers.”
The governor returned to New York Wednesday afternoon, and is expected to announce more details of what aid the state will provide.