“You have to evacuate. Otherwise, you’re going to die!”-Hector Pesquera, Puerto Rico public safety commissioner

The U.S. Virgin Islands National Guard (VING) once again prepared for a second cat-5 hurricane, Maria.  This time Hurricane Maria skirted the northern islands with 144 kph (90 mph) winds, then aimed herself for a direct hit on Puerto Rico.

“We spent the last 48 hours coming up with a good bed-down plan for VING forces and any EMAC forces still on the ground…. ….We also are getting accountability of everybody, make sure we know where they’re sleeping, how they’re posturing and taking care of them, so right after the disaster, we can push into the community and start relief efforts.”-Major Ryan Barry, Virgin Islands National Guard, 19 SEP 2017

Maria hit Puerto Rico as a cat-4 hurricane: “For Irma, we were very prepared. Unfortunately, of course, now we’re feeling a second storm in two weeks, and this one much more devastating than the first one. Who knows what the damage will be?”-Governor Ricardo Rosselló, 20 SEP 2017

Rescue ships sent by the U.S. Navy to Puerto Rico, to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, were forced back by Hurricane Maria.  The USNS William McLean, USS Kearsarge, Oak Hill and Wasp, and SS Wright will return to Puerto Rico (pronounce it correct folks, it’s P-where-toe Ree-co, not Por-toe Ree-co) as soon as it’s safe to do so:

Video of U.S. Navy & Marine Corps personnel regrouping aboard their ships, in preparation for return to Puerto Rico:

FOOD CRISIS IRMA: ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, MINNESOTA MILITIAS DELIVER SUSTENANCE TO VIRGIN ISLANDS!

MARIA: FEMA, NATIONAL GUARD, COAST GUARD, ET AL PREP FOR PUERTO RICO!