Maria toll is likely a lot higher, pros say

PUERTO RICO’S death toll from Hurricane Maria could be substantially higher than the 45 fatalities reported by the government, experts said.

Nearly 90% of Puerto Rico remains without power, while many of the island’s 3.4 million residents are lacking proper shelter or clean drinking water three weeks after Hurricane Maria struck.

Adding to the headache are communication breakdowns that some experts believe are keeping the officially reported death toll astonishingly lower — possibly by hundreds.

In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security, Reps. Nydia Velasquez (D-N.Y.) and Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said they’re concerned the death toll in Puerto Rico is being “woefully underreported” and demanded an urgent review, citing reports that up to 450 people may have died.

“It would be morally reprehensible to intentionally underreport the true death toll to portray relief efforts as more successful than they are. If, on the contrary, this information has benignly been muddled due to a lack of capacity on the island, then the federal government must work hand-in-hand with Puerto Rico’s government to provide a clearer assessment,” the letter said. That could take some time. Maria Santiago de Jesus, wife of Ciales Mayor Luis Maldonado, said the communications system is down through the city, which is located about 45 minutes inland from San Juan.

“It takes us three to four days to get any kind of information or announcements about what’s happening,” Santiago de Jesus told the Daily News.

An analysis by Vox published Wednesday found Puerto Rico’s hurricane death toll closer to 81, citing news reports and statements by local officials.

Both poststorm illnesses and accidents will boost the numbers even further, along with proper death reporting once rural areas can be contacted or accessed, experts said.