#HurricaneMaria
Catastrophic Category 5 hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico.
Quick Facts
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Landfall | September 20, 2017 |
| Deaths | ~3,000 (disputed) |
| Power outage | Entire island, months-long |
| Controversy | Federal response, “paper towels” incident |
Origin & Impact
#HurricaneMaria documented the catastrophic destruction of Puerto Rico’s infrastructure. The entire island lost power for months; water systems collapsed. Maria became the third-deadliest U.S. natural disaster, though the death toll was initially massively underreported.
Social media highlighted the inadequate federal response. Trump’s “paper towel toss” in Puerto Rico became an infamous image. Celebrities like Lin-Manuel Miranda used the hashtag to raise awareness and funds. Puerto Ricans posted desperate pleas for help as communications slowly returned.
The disaster sparked debate about Puerto Rico’s status as a territory and revealed infrastructure vulnerabilities. Recovery took years, with some areas still rebuilding by 2020.
Related Hashtags
#PuertoRico #PuertoRicoRelief #Maria #PRStrong #YoSoyBoricua