Here's the Devastation Maria Inflicted on Vieques and its Airport
Last week, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico and completely devastated the US territory. Many are still without power, food and water are scarce and much of the island's infrastructure and housing has been damaged or destroyed.
One of the hardest hit areas is Vieques, an island just seven miles off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. Reports from CNN reveal that the island has been completely destroyed and is almost totally cut off from the world. CNN's Bill Weir traveled to the Vieques and filed a report Thursday morning detailing what residents of the island are enduring.
Vieques is almost in ruins, food and water are running low and crowds of people line up in the main square to use a handful of satellite phones to contact friends and family.
Weir had a bit of a harrowing journey to get to the island. He flew a small Cessna single engine prop from San Juan (SJU) to Vieques (VQS) on Wednesday. The airports have no working radar so every aircraft is flying by plain old eyesight. Dust from Africa's Sahara desert clouded the skies, complicating the flight.
Weir added a lighter moment to the day when he spotted an old Japanese fighter in a hangar in San Juan.
Upon arrival, the CNN correspondent shared images of the airport's runway which was littered with destroyed planes. While some of the aircraft sat in ditches, others were literally ripped apart by the storm.
After leaving the airport Weir toured the island — only to find more destruction, including catamarans flipped on their backs.
Communication to the outside world is almost nonexistent.
There's a Marriott property on the island, The W Vieques, which has been closed since September 22. Weir's report said it was severely damaged.
Watch Weir's full report here:
You can donate to the recovery efforts by clicking here and join TPG and the CEO of TPG's soon-to-be parent company Red Ventures, Ric Elias. Elias, who grew up in Puerto Rico himself, will match all donations up to $5 million.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app