It has been one year since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico with deadly force, and it is clear residents of the U.S. territory are still dealing with much more than just physical damage in the aftermath.
New media reports are highlighting how the storm, slow cleanup and recovery efforts are impacting the mental health of Puerto Ricans.
U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency funding applications have stalled and people are left with damaged homes, unemployment and separation from loved ones. The Puerto Rican government recently revised the number of dead to over 3,000, including those who died after the storm due to a lack of power, clean water and health care.
The medical resources are strained as many reach out for psychological help. Suicide rates have increased more than 29 per cent in 2017 alone.
“Right now, a year after Maria, we’re receiving around 600 calls a day, and 30 per cent of those calls are related to suicide intentions,” a Puerto Rican official told the CBC recently.
The CBC uncovered this issue in a recent visit to Puerto Rico. There the broadcaster found physicians who are overwhelmed by patients suffering from poor mental health, particularly post-traumatic stress.
Read more of the CBC’s coverage.