UC Davis

Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm, ravaged Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. All regions of the island were affected, given Maria’s trajectory and magnitude. The storm flooded island communities, thousands of houses endured structural damage or were completely destroyed, and the storm devastated the island’s infrastructure. Island residents lacked access to public services and everyday essentials for months, including food, potable water, and adequate medical services. Florida has become Puerto Ricans’ primary mainland destination in recent decades, and the state has attracted the largest proportion of Hurricane Maria evacuees. This study draws on resiliency and migration models to analyze the experiences of Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria. Data for this research come from 17 in-depth interviews and observations conducted in the Orlando metropolitan area from December 2017 through January 2018. The research examines how respondents and their families experienced Hurricane Maria and relief efforts, the survival strategies they deployed after the storm, their migration decision-making and journeys to Florida, and their interpretations of governmental response to the hurricane. This study demonstrates how populations with unequal political and territorial status experience a natural disaster, engage in recovery behavior, and experience displacement. The report concludes with policy recommendations for addressing the housing, employment, and healthcare needs of Hurricane Maria evacuees in Florida.