Official says Puerto Rico needs ‘ unprecedented’ federal help

Puerto Rico has suffered such extensive devastation from Hurricane Maria that its recovery will fail unless the island gets more help, the head of a federal control board that oversees Puerto Rico’s finances said Tuesday.

Natalie Jaresko, executive director of the federal control board, told Congress that the U. S. territory needs emergency and restoration funds “on an unprecedented scale” to restore housing, water and electric power.

Though conditions have improved since the storm, nearly 60% of the island is without electricity, thousands remain in shelters, and tens of thousands of houses do not have roofs, Jaresko said.