So who is ready for Maria !

Thank you for the updates.  We have friends in Guanica and have been so very worried.

Still little info about Aguadilla/Isabela/Rincon.
A few reports mention the coastal low areas were flooded.


Sad to see all the destruction... across the entire island. 
I can see a huge exodus from the island, especially from the severly flooded areas.

West got clobbered badly and some of the bridges were washed away.
Not sure why west was hit as badly as it appears. The South East side should be worst than the west since that was the entry point at at the strongest of the storm, but we have not hear anything so far.

Seems like the tail lingered longer and thrashed the westside with lots of rain/wind with less force but longer duration?

We had an unconfirmed report that flooding closed highway 2 - under water Aercibo & Hatillo.   I am sure the Camuy river flooded   

We need photos

Although I'm just another random person on the internet, and I am not in Puerto Rico so I have no boots on the ground eyewitness experience -

I have spent the last 10 days to two weeks on facebook live watching live video streams of the hurricane calamity filmed in real time on the spot.

Last night, 9/21/2017 I watched a number of facebook livestreams where Puerto Rico electricity was evident; apartments with all the lights on, TV on, people gathered in relative normality. These videos ranged in location from San Juan to a guy in a TV laden sports bar in the Mayaguez area.

I also watched a fellow take off in his car driving plugged into to his favorite gangsta rap on the roads around San Juan. Some minutes of the highway drive were unlit, but there was a goodly amount of traffic on the multi-lane divided roadway, and part of his driving video included a lot of side shots of usual urban activity - parking lot lights, streetlights, well lit areas in the near distance.

Unfortunately I was not foresightful enough to save the links to any of these facebook livestreams, I just watched them as long as they ran.

I am currently under the impression that there is some electrical coverage and normalcy in areas of Puerto Rico, including San Juan and its suburbs, from the livestream video evidence.

I have not seen any live video come out of the south/western side of the island in 3 days. I believe the cell towers are down and the power is also out.

I'm not a facebook aficionado, I don't speak Spanish, and I don't even have a facebook account. But facebooklive is a widely used streaming service and is useful for assessing the circumstance.

You can look around for yourselves - https://www.facebook.com/live/map/?ref= … 9609375,8z  (try to avoid the media broadcasts and look for the immediate streamers)

  Don't need an major hurricane to see 2 go underwater just a couple days of heavier than normal rain...The water plants never get removed and water level goes up by 15' above normal on a regular basis.
Just like anything , Having clean safe functional roadways , takes maintenance.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al9zzaL … ploademail
"Look at the fields just off the roadways ,dry and well drained already , even farmers know how to maintain there crops or cattle fields so water runs toward the natural drainage rivers.

.A small example  Look at the JEEP video I posted . Pay attention to the edges of the flooded roadways . not only are the roadways not properly elevated and sloped , but the grass hand daily blown soil has accumulated 12" higher than the road surface.

Pretty much the norm around the island . to high or no shoulder at all just like all the manhole covers 4" to high or 10" to low . There way of fixing it is once again . "PAINT" yellow circles around the manholes 

At least its an Island with elevation . eventually everything finds the sea.

Mayaguez ,and San Juan are the areas with 2 of 3   , Power plants on the Island U are seeing those lights and activities even mobile satellite uplinks from local news to the world, but not outlying areas.

As to people driving around aimlessly , that will end when local stations run out of fuel , and  stay off until roadways from Ponce' are repaired and power lines on the ground are moved for fuel delivery .
First deliveries will be escorted by the Authorities. That will make news.

That kind of like the island being considered as crime ridden as ALL OF NY STATE , which it is . But ONLY !  around the 2 largest cities . San Juan, and Ponce. and there burbs.

Sitka wrote:

We had an unconfirmed report that flooding closed highway 2 - under water Aercibo & Hatillo.   I am sure the Camuy river flooded   

We need photos

True, RT 2 was closed due to flooding, some bridges were watch out, but not sure if they were on 2. I heard also that Camuy had more than one bridge watched out.

I heard from my son and his wife and my grandkids are fine in Canovanas but they lost their mattresses and all their furniture. I will be sending money to help with the damage.

I still have no contact with my Brother and his family in Las Piedras.

DugTX1 sir:

FF'ing this may help forget about the intense pain in PR, at least for those of us elsewhere, which are 99% of us, and not in PR wading around in 3 feet of brown stuff about to get browner once that system fails in 24-48 hs.

But, FF to this stage: the tear down, clean-up,

Where is the debris going? We know of the sorry state of PR landfills. And can't ship it to China for recycling anymore--last week China told Uncle-no mas and China was by far x100 the #1 port of call for our recycling industry, shiploads and shiploads and shiploads from the US monthly.

Relaxed EPA standards  to allow burning is all I can see as viable.

They will do as they have for 80 years with a billion tires, Never processed a single one and returned it into the asphalt that covers the roads island wide.

Tires have been thrown into the ocean past 80 years each and everyone of them.

I think I read you were in PR during Georges, maybe not when it hit, but in the days and year afterward. And I know you were involved in heavy construction on mega projects overseas so you understand implementing the process of repairing/installing big infrastructure like what is in PR's immediate future.

PR is 18 years later different now, economically, PREPA is broke and has been exposed, PROMESA trying to help--the US created a BK option for PR when that option wasn't available to her, statutorily, prior, etc.

So assuming they just band aid the grid, so that the beginning of normalcy can start, if that is possible, what's your take on approx. time?

I read a month, I often read 6 months. PREPA is going to be privatized and the whole thing re-done I'm sure, but that will takes a few years. I'd like to hear what you think is a reasonable time range give or take say 2 months, for the Band-Aid that may be the status quo until completely new is implemented. Totally off the cuff, obviously, and said to the readers intended only for the value of how an off the cuff opinion is weighed not having a lot of pertinent data. But your opinion is probably way better then anybody else that's with us at the moment.

I will get back to important questions asked of me, as soon as I find the links to the last time PR. was given 11 billion $ to place utilities underground, 2 years after hurricane George .

Till then here is ANOTHER band aide that was NEVER created /built correctly by local contractors who are long gone.

Guajataca damn project.  Began at 786 million - Sub completed at Approx. $900million, Mountains Near Ponce and Coto Laurel.
Everything below the Damn is under immediate consideration to be Evacuated as we speak.

https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=882_1506130064

T:his was published about an hour ago

"On Friday, Prepa's chief executive, Ricardo Ramos, said on CNBC that he was hopeful that the power plants — as opposed to the power lines, pylons, substations and transformers — may be intact.

“We've lost probably 80 percent of the transmission and distribution infrastructure,” he said, adding that crews had completed only about a third of an island-wide survey of the damage and would have more information in two days.

(I guess that answers parts of my q, i.e. the status of the power plants in and of themselves is the major q, seems like they've already ceded the grid)



He also said that important buildings on the island, including Centro Medico and a convention center now being used by emergency workers, would have their power back in two or three days.

Mr. Ramos said he shortened estimates for how long power would be out after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York arrived Friday with teams to help restore electricity. “We expect three to four months at most,” for the whole island, he said.

Getting power back to Puerto Rico will be daunting and expensive. Transformers, poles and power lines snake from coastal areas across hard-to-access mountains. In some cases, the poles have to be maneuvered in place with helicopters.

And yet it gets worse. Puerto Rico is an island, which means the tons of much-needed supplies — trucks, poles, cables, tools, spare parts, helicopters — must be shipped into Caribbean ports, making the process infinitely more cumbersome. Trained electrical workers by the hundreds will also have to be flown into Puerto Rico, where they will have to find places to stay, not an uncomplicated task."

OK , 1am here in Texas, and now I'm awake.......
In response to your questions in one post.

Straight foreword "IF" the POLITICIANS of Puerto Rico would back down and allow US contractors do what we do and actually complete the "ENTIRE" infrastructure project . 4-6 years completely.

What do I base this on , you ask?
#1
Hurricane George 1998 , I was there but was dispatched 2 months later to chase down Yellow cake across the middle east.
The US Government GRANTED PR 11 billion dollars to place ALL utilities under ground.
5 year project, Not even San Juan was completed , funds were mainly utilized in management.
#2
Penuelas gas ducto project 2004 - 2007      ( gas pipeline )
5 year project; overseen by Skanska international , from Argentina. ( ALL bids from US companies were denied by PR PREPA))
$179 million $ project to convert ALL 3 Main power plants, to Natural gas , and Thru PREPA,
and provide a 20" gas pipeline across island from Ponce to all 3 power facilities.
In 5 years Nothing was completed  (on the US mainland 2 year project, in comparison)
The entire pipeline is still laying across the island ready to be installed.
$79 million was spent in Puerto Rico on the actual real work.
$100 million was spent on PR. and Argentina management or never accounted for, as to where it went.
Governor at the time used assets to buy /remove people from there proposed right of way , then worked with the socialist movement to create excuses and hard ship for the people, to divert attentions from his activities .
Hundreds of Puerto Ricans were arrested by his order , and he eventually told the people the project would stop because the island would blow up.
#3 Aguirre gas port project  2017
$511 million $ to establish a sea port project that receives ,Cheap clean natural gas from everywhere.
Port was delivered from Denmark , established off shore and then shut down before being connected to island. The platform and installation was 300 million.
The remainder of $511 million was in PR government planning and zero accountability as to what happened to the remaining $$$$$$.
#4
Waaaaay Past history.......
Antigua , Planta nuclear, " Known as the DOME to most everyone who surf in Rincon
1960- 1980  this Nuclear power facility was paid for by Texas oil money, ( privately at no cost to Puerto Rico,) to provide 60% of the power PR now uses in comparison to 1960, and would as well power 100% of the Dominican republic.
The Dome in Rincon, and power cables that went to the DR. are still in place .
The PR. government shut down the project and claimed the facility , plus have since been spending US grant $$$ for 16 years to Create a Historical Tourist attraction that will never open.
( Texans such as myself Love PR. and want the island to not only survive ,but flourish )

#5
The last past Governor of PR attempted to sell ALL the beach front land owned by the people to real estate investors world wide, and as well attempted to sell All public housing projects existing and under construction to Investors that would have EVICTED all the people , at 10 years after his term to become hi end condominium projects, island wide .
This is still under court decisions even though he is no longer in office .
If successful this will make 500,000 Puerto Ricans homeless on there own island .

POLITICIANS NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!  They serve the people , not to Lord over the landthe land.

Check the facts , and Consider how beautiful the island truly is .
This Hurricane will be the end for many .
As soon as FEMA cuts the checks to rebuild ,a large # of remaining population will exit for the mainland. BS developers will buy up titles from Banco Popular , who is ALREADY selling out the island even faster ,than they already are to Europeans , Russians ,and Arabs.

This True tragedy could as well be the finest moment in history for the most Beautiful island remaining in the Atlantic/US.

In closing ;
To each and everyone of you that read this , Second to GOD , Puerto Rico is my heart.
I sincerely hope that many of you decide to remain and help rebuild .

After the past 6 years of having my spine rebuilt and the tendons re attached in my shoulders .
I am retiring from the work I have known since 15 years of age .

At 50 years of age ,My main goal after first of the year is to return to Puerto Rico, with now my knowledge and experience to help return Puerto Rico to the "STAR OF THE CARRIBEAN" it truly is.

May Peace and Love be with all of you here online and friends and family on the island have All the prayers we have to give.

Temp FIX better than no fix... 

Thanks man, an eye opener.

Assuming the power plants are minimally damaged, is this failed CEO believable on his temp fix guestimates?

Just imagining that in some areas the "Re-grid" not the impossible task, like say metro--flat land areas, etc, but what about the elevated areas? Replacing that stuff 'up in them there hills' is x100 more involved.

And where are the power plants that feed the various sectors, say generally from Manati and then around the horn through Anasco, Mayaguez and down to your property in Cabo?

PS: as an aside how is S TX where you are now doing post Harvey--I spent a lot of time in Corpus when I was just starting out.

The main power for the West end is Mayaguez, near the main WEST end hospital.
There is a sub facility near Aguadilla, where the main island ,satellite uplinks are.
(up links are destroyed ) but the new ones have been sitting there on the ground of 8 years in overseas containers  Bet they get installed now! 

New hi voltage power lines were set in place for Rincon and Anasco 6 years ago .
Project was almost complete around the time when, I had to return to South Texas Brain and spine to have my own spine repaired.
Here in Corpus Christi , but I stay in Aransas pass ,which Hurricane Harvey made landfall .
Area was devastated , even the local news and I heart radio stations evacuated and sheltered in San Antonio.

After that all the news here came from Houston which took a far larger rain than storm effect from flooding .
Rains started again as it does this time of year. Back to huge flooding.

The Hospital in Rincon received fuel for generators today . that's another weeks worth .
The President had the Navy fleet offshore move in fuel and begin making preparations to move any critical patients to the mainland.
Even Rio Piedras hospital in San Juan , where EVERYONE is sent on the island with major medical issues are sent.  PERIOD island wide.
BECAUSE!
Rio Piedras has been running on a 600 million dollar grant and donations from Catapillar , to keep power and AC units on life support over the last 12 years , they are completely separate with the cat power and AC units from the power plants. plus a 30 day supply at any given moment of fuel to remain functional.

Things are tough all over guys Stay strong !

My apology can't see ur post when I reply .
Other sites are asking more in depth questions as we proceed . (as you are now) 
When u look at the Map there are 2 Hydro electric plants on the island , Both are screwed due to lack of maintenance  at the Dos Boca facility which used to power everything west , other than the Mayaguez facility which is Coal over steam, "still operational"

The other is the Guajataca facility in the mountains above Ponce'. CENTRAL
Unfortunately the Army Corps has declared it an immediate threat when the dam broke yesterday and they are trying to evacuate 70,000 people rt. now.
https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=882_1506130064
The project was begun in 2002 finished 2 years ago. first local contractor went thru $780 million$ and disappeared with $150 million , so more money was granted to almost $980 billion.
Unfortunately project was never built or maintained correctly. until Irma it was only being utilized at 50% lake level . Irma pushed it beyond capacity and it will need to be rebuilt . 

But Cuomo to the Rescue brought 10 generators and 275 cases of Poland Springs. Saved the day. On a private jet. Should have just donated that government $$ rather then showboat.

He works at his craft. Wouldn't march in the NY PR Day Parade this summer, as big  a day as the St. Pat's Day Parade, after the 30,000 member NYPD union said we won't forget if you do. You know the details behind that story.

But he's bringing 10 generators and water worse then they get in PR to PR--in style. Painful to think how this PR p.r. gimmick helps two Governor's who got elected by daddy's name recognition, both who would be, and were, marginally employed in the private world. I prefer NL all star Beltran's approach--here's $1,000,000, not the Marc Anthony J-Lo "we'll do a PSA for free". Show me the money, million air heads, poor PR's are suffering at the basest level of human decency.

Tx, I thank you for your posts about the situation. You'd be an asset to any Board. I'm sure the very very few of our members who live there 5-8? or seriously intending to live there will feel the same after they are able to get in touch.

Thanks for the info. I think you might have two different dams combined, The Lake Guajataca dam is on the North east and the dam in Ponce that was started in 2002 by the corps of army engineers is on the Portuguese River just above Ponce. Its only function is to prevent the so called 100 year flood. My farm sits just above it and I have not heard of any issues with it. There is another another lake in Villalba near Juana Diaz just east of Ponce and the dam is intact as far as I know. This dam supplies drinking water for the Ponce area. I have not heard from anyone yet about the conditions of the South and Southwest coast. I think it was the least affected area whatever that means when the whole island is. Once I hear that there is electricity/water and postal service I will be back and resuming my business there and helping however I qualify for helping.

And, it's time for the U.S. to forgive P.R.'s  crushing debt that Wall Street caused.

From Bondtrader this a.m.:

Rick Donner, the lead PREPA analyst at Moody's, said in an interview that his limited communication with power officials in recent days had left him with the impression that Puerto Rico's power plants were spared serious damage, but its transmission and distribution lines failed.

"It's going to take weeks if not months to restore power to the entire island," Donner said.

But that is only to get Puerto Rico back to the state it was in before the storms.

And the longer the power remains out, the deeper PREPA's deficit could grow.

"That could delay economic recovery for the entire island," Donner said. "It's a big problem."

Half full or half empty?

Thank you I was pretty tired after the last couple days .
What u farming up there?

30 years ago My Journey in PR Began in Ponce' and Coto Laurel.  Still have friends  there from way back when my Grandfather hired good men and women to work there.

Even had an X girlfriend there in Coto , Milli Milagros , Best divorce attorney in PuertoRico I luved the fact she only represents women .
People forget the violence against women just 30 years ago , when Some men could kill there wives
for burning there dinner, and maybe only do probation. 

Those were sad times.
I my late teens back then and can remember knocking the F@@%$$K  out of loads of x boy friends and X husbands . Defending my Lady friends.

Thank you, Brother that is sooooo true almost wants to be a Joke . But his 10 min. of standing with the already to busy governor of PR. was just a plea for votes in NY. 

Puerto Ricans who Live in and were BORN in NY , cannot relate to the small mountain towns and sectors where the roads are impassable , Most think " OH I SEE LIGHTS ON IN SAN JUAN AND PONCE'"
SO EVERYTHING IS GOOD AND THE EMERGENCY IS OVER !"  Further from the truth than ever.

Just a small thing to us rt. now  because we can go to the local Walmart or HEB and buy Mosquito spray tomorrow . When reality is that the gestation of new mosquito larvae is only 1 day away .

We need to be sending overseas containers filled with OFF and Avon skin so soft. 

They are sending mosquito nets.

I have those in my rentals for the Gringos 

Still need too spray the hell out of them before they are effective.. Zika Denge' malaria , doesn't wait.

Island could have been sprayed earlier this summer , but local mayors were revolting .
Screw that . I even spray my own property with the drone , and treat all standing water . Basic Maint is common sense.

Stores have plenty and more shipments will be arriving soon. Barges are coming in with basic supplies at the moment, but I am sure some will carry repelent.

Not to be a downer , But don't put much hope in The NY governor claiming he will have the electricity on for everyone in a week or so .
Best to begin making plans to fly loved ones off the island as soon as you make contact.

Going to be a tough first year.

http://stateofthenation2012.com/?p=84227https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hurri … AAscha9|54

How does the no power thing play out--I get the obvious of course, no lights, no juice, but how does that play out re; tap water, sewage systems etc etc etc in scenarios like in single family houses who don't have a generator vs those that do with a water reservoir, same for condo's?

  #1 NO POWER , no water .
Before ANY area is reenergized, everything needs to be dry , ALL main breakers in any home needs to be completely disconnected .
WOODEN HOMES ; which will now be illegal to rebuild (those destroyed or roofs torn off), must have an inspection as to weather the water came up into the outlets , main power box in some cases .
Potential tinder box ,fire hazards.
EVEN WET WALLS AND DAMP FLOORS WILL KILL .

Re energizing any community will kill 10 times more people than the storm.
(That's why I Truly dislike what the Gov. of NY did .false promise )

By now the ILLEGAL  landfills like in Pensuelas, will be leaching flood water contamination, into  the water facilities.  Stay with bottled and try to collect rain water (which will be back in couple days) after the storm to wash. 
They will have to purge /flush waterlines for weeks , before it is safe.
Example dead animals , coal ash they throw in dumps, chemicals from commercial properties.

If your in the mountains you have the least to worry about , water runs down hill and mother nature makes the final call.

Those of you with small children; remember Pythons ( not trying to terrify moms, but we have had them get into kids bedrooms on the mountain) are all over the island now because the storms have flushed them out of the mountains. They are looking for a dry warm place to stay, Attics ,homes etc. Just use common sense and have lil ones sleep with you.

We pull 10 - 14' boas off my land on the west weekly.

A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a!!! Your freakin us!!!!

1 Billion in Emergency AIDE....... 
Ships already being received in San Juan with water, and food, mosquito spray.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/09/23/pu … -help.html

Dugtx1, are you following the local newspapers and TV on what is happening in PR or just the US based news?
I ask because this way you would hear what is going on directly and a lot of the questions as to what is first and what is second.

I read several dozen articles a day as to what is going on there and videos and 2 tv channels. and I am in contact with some of the people there.

Things are not as negative, some areas have recovered some electricity and AT&T is now working in some areas, there is plenty of gas , propane, food, a few restaurants are opening and providing free food, some supermarkets are opening, etc.

I just heard my family is fine also.

Negativity does not help

The news is only giving you Ponce' and san Juan  the 2 main port cities
Millions of gallons of potable drinking water has been imported and is being distributed .
ALL Hospitals are bein evacuated to the Mainland .

I tell the facts I live there. This site means NOTHING to me , But my women and children on the island do.

Rain is returning u have something bright and shiny to say about that?

The more people that voluntarily go to the mainland temporarily will help the Recovery . FACT.
U probably pray to the gods of CNN and MSN anyway ... 

PS open the links I have provided, Read

Glad to see a major push for aide!   I still have not been able to contact our friends on the north coast.   

Some people have been posting to the web from PR on Facebook.   Must be a few sites with internet connections.   

We have never seen a snake on the island.  But my pal Angel tells a PR tail about whistling snakes in the jungle on the island??   I always thought he was pulling my leg - now I am begining to wonder?   

Well I was just listening to internet news  radio ; and they are straight telling people DO NOT attempt to come to Puerto Rico.
Average line for the remaining fuel is 356 people and people are running out of fuel and blocking the roads, which is even keeping tree clearing crews .

Every sector on the island received sat phones to begin hospital EVAC  efforts. Patients and a family member are being flown to Florida,

As to snakes , never heard one whistle ,but many were introduced to the eco system when hey became to large a pet. they are very invasive , as the Iguanas . My friend there has a full time business capturing them and selling the skins in Mexico for boots .

Government is delivering supplies in Ponce" and San Juan , gonna be a while for rest of island, and no NEWSIES are traveling very far as I se on the news.