| Episode Narrative |
Tropical Storm Jeanne and its associated weather affected Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra from Sep. 14-17. On its wake it left considerable damages to the electric power grid, the water supply system, highways and roads, bridges, schools, individual households, businesses and commerce due to extensive flooding, landslides and mudslides. Jeanne forced 3,629 people living in flood zones to seek refuge in shelters. Jeanne caused eight deaths in Puerto Rico, four direct and four indirect. One death direct death was in the municipality of Yabucoa, where the winds tore the roof and ceiling of a house to which a hammock was attached, flunging a person from the hammock and smashing her into the wall of an adjacent structure. Another,and the only one flood related fatality was reported in the municipality of Moca, where a person was reportedly drowned in a tributary stream of River Culebrinas. Two other persons died and one was injured after a tree damaged by winds fell on an automobile in a rural road of Yauco the Saturday after the storm. Two other persons died due to carbon monoxide poisoning from generators running in closed spaces without proper ventilation. The island road system was widely impacted as 302 roads had to be closed due to fallen trees, landslide and mudslides or debris. Damages to the electrical grid were estimated at 60 million, and to the water system at 8 million. Tropical Storm Jeanne made landfall as a strong tropical storm over southeast Puerto Rico around noon time on Sep. 15. Official winds reports from the International airport in Carolina were of sustained winds of 49 mph with a gust to 71 mph. An unofficial report from a spotter in Salinas indicated sustained winds of 63 mph with gust to 71 mph at 1140 am AST. Another unofficial report of a wind gust to 68 mph was recorded at Palmas del Mar, Humacao, and the Arecibo Observatory, which recorded a wind gust of 70 mph at an elevation of 1,200 feet on Sep 15. The agricultural impact was significant, the hardest hit areas were the south and east. Damages were estimated at 101.5 million, 55 million were attributed to the banana an plantain sectors. More than 15,500 acres of plantain and banana farm lands were affected. Hardest hit crops were coffee, plantain, banana and wheat. The hydrological impact of Jeanne were widespread and diverse with major stream and river flooding. The island of Vieques recorded 23.75 inches of rain over three days, and 14.75 inches in a 24 hour period which corresponded to more than a 100 year return period. Other municipalities in Puerto rico received from 11 to 18 inches over the three day period ending on Sep. 17 at 800 am AST. The highest return frequency over inland Puerto Rico was at Aibonito, where the 24 hour rainfall of 15 inches corresponded to more than a 100 year event. |
