Vista a´érea del daño en la represa Guajataca tras el paso de María en Quebradillas, Puerto Rico Septiembre 24, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin Baez
El gobernador de Puerto Rico se reunió el sábado con alcaldes de la isla, en momentos en que una represa ubicada en el noroeste del territorio estadounidense amenazaba con colapsar a raíz de las inundaciones generadas por el paso del huracán María, reseña Reuters.
El gobernador Ricardo Rosselló dijo el viernes que unas 70.000 personas que viven en el área amenazada por el colapso de la represa del Lago Guajataca estaban siendo evacuadas, pero autoridades municipales sugirieron el sábado que no hay tantas personas en riesgo como se pensaba anteriormente y que sólo unas 320 personas habían sido llevadas a zonas seguras, informó el diario local El Nuevo Día.
No fue posible contactar con funcionarios el sábado para que proporcionaran una actualización sobre la evacuación o la represa, que según las autoridades estaba en peligro inminente de un colapso total.
En tanto, gente de toda la isla luchaba para limpiar la devastación dejada por la tormenta, que causó la muerte de al menos 25 personas en su paso por el Caribe, según funcionarios y medios de comunicación.
“Comenzando la reunión con nuestros alcaldes para conocer las necesidades más urgentes y la distribución de los recursos”, dijo Rosselló en Twitter el sábado.
Las fuertes inundaciones, los daños estructurales a los hogares y la caída de prácticamente toda la energía eléctrica son los tres problemas más apremiantes que enfrenta los puertorriqueños, dijo el gobernador de Nueva York, Andrew Cuomo, durante una gira por la isla.
“Es una terrible situación inmediata que requiere la asistencia del gobierno federal, no sólo asistencia financiera”, dijo Cuomo, cuyo estado alberga millones de personas de ascendencia puertorriqueña.
“Es una situación peligrosa hoy y va a ser un asunto de reconstrucción a largo plazo durante meses”, dijo a CNN Cuomo, una potencial carta demócrata de cara a las elecciones presidenciales de 2020.
Christina Villalba, funcionaria de la agencia de manejo de emergencias de la isla, dijo el viernes que no había dudas de que la represa de Guajataca estaba a punto de colapsar.
“Podría ser esta noche, podría ser mañana, podría ser en los próximos días, pero es muy probable que sea pronto”, dijo a Reuters por teléfono.
Por Dave Graham y Robin Respaut/Reuters
An aerial view shows the damage to the Guajataca dam in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin BaezAn aerial view shows the damage to the Guajataca dam in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin BaezAn aerial view shows the damage to the Guajataca dam in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin BaezGente mira el agua que fluye por la carretera en la represa del lago Guajataca, en Puerto Rico, después de que la zona fuera golpeada por el huracán María. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins. 23 de septiembre de 2017.An aerial view shows damage to the Guajataca dam in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin BaezAn aerial view shows the damage to the Guajataca dam in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin BaezAn aerial view shows the damage to the Guajataca dam in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin BaezAn aerial view shows the damage to the Guajataca dam in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Quebradillas, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin BaezA worker standing on a backhoe loader uses a chainsaw to remove fallen trees from the street after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Camuy, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsLocal residents use a boat to pass next to a flooded houses close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsWorkers use a backhoe loader and a chainsaw to remove fallen trees from the street remove after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsA car submerged in flood waters is seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYMen stand at the roof of a house submerged by flood waters close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsA restaurant submerged by flood waters is seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsA house submerged by flood waters is seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsHouses damaged by flood waters are seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsLocal residents look at houses submerged by flood waters close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsThe roof of a house submerged by flood waters is seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsA house submerged by flood waters is seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsPeople look at water flowing over the road at the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsPeople look at water flowing over the road as a helicopter flies over them at the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsLocal residents react while they look at the water flowing over the road at the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsPeople walk next to a water level tower of the dam at the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsYadira Nieves carries her daughter as they look at water flowing over the road at the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsA car drives past a damaged house next to the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsA man looks at damages on his flooded house, close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsPeople arrive to buy gasoline next to a sign reading “There is no gasoline,” at a gas station, after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria, in San Juan, Puerto Rico September 22, 2017. Picture taken September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Alvin BaezPeople rest outside a damaged house after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico September 22, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins TPX IMAGES OF THE DAYA car submerged in flood waters is seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsA house submerged by flood waters is seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsU.S. Coast Guard helicopters fly over the dam at the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsA house submerged by flood waters is seen close to the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia RawlinsPeople look at water flowing over the road at the dam of the Guajataca lake after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guajataca, Puerto Rico September 23, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
