Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico #2

The eye of Hurricane Maria hit at around 7 a.m here, but the winds got really bad starting at around 4:30 a.m.  The tree fell across the street in the night and there is another tree hitting our building.  We discovered that our one wall is the outside wall and large items keep hitting that wall.  It seems pretty solid construction.  The hotel called to say don't come downstairs. No problem there.  We have a young infant on the floor who is remarkably calm.  They have gone out to sleep in the hall to avoid the noise.  I can't believe that the internet still works and that the cable comes and goes.  Mostly gone for the last hour and half. 

The windows are leaking a little and stuff flies by the windows, but the sound is the worst.  Sometimes it sounds like the Boeing 737 engine powering up for flight.  Other times it sounds like a way too large construction vehicle on a residential street.  You know, that low rumble of power and weight.  It is a long sustained sound that has not let up for five hours.  The neighbors lost their roof and it blew up against the lady who prayed that her house would not be destroyed.  So far so good.  The giant grey house is not doing as well with a loss of the roof and window.  The wind and rain combine for a 155 mile per hour attack on the infrastructure.  It looks like we are hunkered down for the day.  The staff at the hotel are great and extremely friendly, but I am sure they are worrying about their family and friends in the rest of the Island.

I did not get much sleep; an hour here and an hour there.  We are low on food, but should make it through the day.  The water is leaking in from outside the room.  The baby and parents are no longer sleeping outside in the hall because the hallway is flooding.  My wife was able to sleep, which I thought would be impossible.  So much water dumped on us so far and so much destruction just on our street.  This island and San Juan are going to need months to clean up from the sustained pounding of Hurricane Maria.

By Brian Davis