Photos: AccuWeather delivers life-saving aid to town of Patillas, Puerto Rico
Nearly two months after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, the island is still in great need of humanitarian assistance.
Much of the island remains without power as a result of the biggest blackout in United States history. Disease has spread in affected communities and damage is still evident in many areas.
In October, AccuWeather announced that it was adopting the remote town of Patillas, located in the southeastern part of the island, as part of its "Rays of Hope" community initiative.
As part of the endeavor, a shipping container was set up outside the company's headquarters in State College, Pennsylvania, where life-saving supplies such as water, clothing, electrical generators and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals were collected.
A team of AccuWeather employees arrived in Patillas, earlier this week to begin distributing the aid.
The supplies, which are desperately needed, were donated by AccuWeather employees as well as members of the surrounding Centre County community.
Due to its location away from ports, getting relief to the town of more than 20,000 has been challenging in the aftermath of Maria.
"When we saw what the people affected by this storm were going through, our hearts went out to them," said Evan Myers, AccuWeather's chief operating officer and senior meteorologist. "As a company that truly understands the impact of severe weather, we wanted to help provide relief where it would make a tangible difference in peoples' lives."
The container left State College on Oct. 25 and arrived Tuesday, Nov. 7. In addition to working to hand out the supplies, the AccuWeather news team has been reporting on the lingering issues in some of the hardest-hit areas of Puerto Rico.
"This AccuWeather Rays of Hope project showcases the great character and concern of our employees," said Elizabeth Soroka, vice president of human resources at AccuWeather. "We are very proud of our staff and their compassion and enthusiasm to help the people of Puerto Rico."
AccuWeather Video Producer Lincoln Riddle has spent the past several days getting a sense of the recovery by interviewing residents, including Patillas Mayor Norberto Soto Figueroa.
"What stood out [the] most is that the people are in great spirits despite all of the issues," Riddle said. "They have found ways to get by and manage, while maintaining hope and a positive attitude."
Riddle added that while some homes were destroyed, he has seen many homes that are still standing and liveable.
"Trees and power lines are down everywhere, and at night it becomes clear just how much of the island doesn't have power."
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