Hurricane Fiona Update: Joe Biden Promises 100% Help for Puerto Rico After Major Disaster

Puerto Rico has been hit hard by Hurricane Fiona, but there is some good news for the U.S. Island territory because President Joe Biden has vowed that the United States will assist the storm-hit island. He also pledged that the federal government will be paying for all of Puerto Rico's recovery efforts for the next month.

According to Politico, the move expands the federal government's role in the island and unlocks additional federal assistance for Puerto Rico as its residents suffer the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. More federal funding is also made available for Puerto Rico after Biden's declaration. This will be used for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and other services.

"We're all in this together," stated Biden in a briefing with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials in New York. He added that hundreds of FEMA and other federal officials are already on the ground on the island.

Puerto Rico Still Suffering From Power Outages

Unfortunately, the island still has some huge challenges along the way, including the massive power outage Puerto Rico is facing after Hurricane Fiona hit. Over 60% of residents are still without power there, and about a third of the island's residents are without water. A local official admitted that they could not say when service will resume.

However, President Biden told the people of Puerto Rico that "We're with you. We're not going to walk away." Many have pointed out the contrasting responses between the Biden administration and the Trump administration when it came to Puerto Rico, as Trump largely bungled his response to Puerto Rico when Maria hit, and Puerto Ricans are still reeling from that disaster to this day, as the Associated Press pointed out.

LUMA Energy, the private company that is operating Puerto Rico's grid, said it has restored power to around 420,000 people, or around 28 percent of the island's 1.5 million customers.

Puerto Ricans Still Struggling for Water

One of the biggest challenges for Puerto Ricans after a huge storm like this is finding safe potable water. Over half a million people on the island have remained without any water services for over three days now since Hurricane Fiona hit.

According to a report by the Associated Press, many island residents spent hours in lines on Wednesday, trying to fill jugs from water trucks. Others also scooped water from mountain runoff.

So far, the Puerto Rico government has sent in 11 water trucks called "oases" all across the island. However, the situation has left many people angry, as they are once again left without any basic services following a catastrophic storm, much like what happened during Hurricane Maria.

Tensions were running high for those waiting in line to get water from these trucks. Things often heat up even more when these trucks line up and run out of water to give the citizens, who spent hours trying to get water. Some cars can be seen driving away, frustrated about the hours-lomg wait for water access.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Biden vows urgent help for storm-ravaged Puerto Rico - Associated Press