Puerto Rico was under a hazard exposure last 2017. They were hit by a tropical storm that in just a span of 48 hours became a Category 5 hurricane called Maria. The impact caused by its winds is 155 mph with levels of 9-11 ft of storm surge. This devastating storm rips out the infrastructures and power lines leaving the entire island with no electricity and water.
According to Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (Masterson et.al.), the physical capital includes the human, agricultural, and structural vulnerabilities. Maria destroyed a lot of infrastructures, power grids, water stations, bridges, and roads which resulted an overall physical capital loss of around $95 billion. Since then, others suggested to invest primarily in infrastructure like roads, electricity, and bridges. As well as in data gathering to support the community, and to improve their decision-making in case of emergencies.
Maria brought upon an estimate of 3,000 death tolls and 3.5 billion people live in the dark. Most of them have no roofs nor water that exposed them to several risks and illnesses. In terms of agricultural vulnerability, it destroyed about 80% of the territory's crops, resulting in $780 million of losses. Due to the aging power plants just before the hurricane wreak havoc, the recovery of electricity took several months. Almost 90% of the houses were annihilated leaving around $18 billion of losses of structures.
In terms of social vulnerability, two barrios in Puerto Rico used social capital in reducing the vulnerability of the country by preparing post disaster response. Organizations were established which evaluated the main challenges of natural hazards, which will lessen the damage of the next calamity. Others suggested to invest primarily in infrastructure like roads, electricity, and bridges. As well as in data gathering to support the community, and to improve their decision-making in case of emergencies.
What happened in Puerto Rico is an example of a natural and man-made disaster. Natural because of the hurricane Maria and man-made because of its poor economic stability and bunch of government loans even before the disaster occurs. From Rodin’s resilience framework, being aware of one’s situation and vulnerabilities will provide initial disaster response to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, since knowing beforehand the weaknesses of a community will lead them to come up with a better plan and decision. And being adaptive, in order to improvise in the face of challenges will help them be resilient.