After trying for over a week, a Wichita woman has finally made contact with her Puerto Rican family by phone after Hurricane Maria pummeled the island last week.
Elizabeth Brunscheen-Cartagena has lived in Wichita for 21 years and goes home to Puerto Rico every other year. Following the aftermath of the hurricane, she was finally able to talk to her family in Puerto Rico on Wednesday, some of whom have lost everything. The hurricane flattened all but the sturdiest of structures.
"It will take a long time to recover my town," Brunscheen-Cartagena says. "The effort is just more on cleaning the roads because that’s the only way that they can get out or the aid can come in."
Family members saw their wooden houses swept away. Many are now living with other relatives in cement structures.
Brunscheen-Cartagena says her family has no drinking water and can't withdraw money out of the bank. She plans to go to Puerto Rico with donations to help in the coming months.
---
Carla Eckels is interim news director and the host of Soulsations. Follow her on Twitter @Eckels.
To contact KMUW News or to send in a news tip, reach us at news@kmuw.org.
