The third major hurricane in two months hit the United States in late September, this time impacting Puerto Rico and surrounding islands. A category 4 storm at landfall, Hurricane Maria hit south of Yabucoa Harbor in Puerto Rico on September 20, with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour. The storm caused the electrical infrastructure of the entire island to be destroyed, and some estimates put the restoration of power on the island on a six to eight or even 10-month time frame. Hurricane Maria also extensively damaged drinking water supply systems, hospitals, schools, and cell service infrastructure.
With Hurricane Irma making landfall in Florida, the US has suffered two major hurricanes in a little over two weeks. Fortunately, the impact of Irma was not as bad as initially feared, although it still created significant damage and destruction of homes and businesses. The human suffering is of paramount importance, and the emotional losses are enormous. As with Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma will have a significant impact on the economy.