Mag, I don't think most people have an idea of how bad it is. Tourism income is not even going to be possible for at least 6 to 9 months, if not longer. The island is basically non-functional at this time. Think basic survival.
I just spoke to my dad, who's been in sporadic contact with relatives from both sides of the family. There is barely any food or potable water. 95% of the residents have no electricity. Lines to get fuel or food (what there is) at stores are four to six HOURS long. When you do get in to the supermarket, you go in groups of 20 max and you are limited to the amount of time you can spend in there.
The medical situation is also dire. I have a cousin there suffering from thyroid cancer and has had his op to remove the thyroid on hold. He has no running water, no air conditioning (and the heat is stiffling), no warm food (he eats what he can from cans and other non-perishables) and has no idea if he will get the operation he needs or if he will die waiting.
It's really shocking. I hope President Trump gets to see a lot of that first hand and then kicks the federal bureaucracy in its ass to move things along as fast as possible. I hope the Governor has done that already with the PR bureaucracy. This is about as close as TEOTWAWKI as I have seen in my lifetime (51 years).
I also hope President Trump really flexes some military muscle to get aid from the port of San Juan, where it's piling up, out to the rest of the island. Our Armed Forces are staffed by logistics professionals and they can do a hell of a lot of good.
The USNS Comfort sailed from Norfolk yesterday and won't be on station until next Wed or Thursday. She can't get there soon enough.
