The biggest repair job after Hurricane Georges was the islandwide power grid. At dawn on Sept. 22, as the hurricane finally moved off the island, the system was 100 percent down. The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority's regular crews worked extra hours and were supplemented both by crews brought in from off the island as well as local contractors. Because of all the repairs, the system is stronger now than it was before Georges, said the authority's executive director, Miguel Cordero. Six months later, some families are still living in what was supposed to be short-term housing.
Many blue tarps remain, waiting to be replaced by permanent roofs.
Aid doesn't solve everything. FEMA can help replace a roof but not the family photos. Despite these scars, the hotels are full of tourists, and the trees are green again.