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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN SUPPORT OF THE RELIEF EFFORTS ORGANIZED TO HELP MEXICO AND PUERTO RICO
WHEREAS, originating from a tropical wave that the National Hurricane Center began monitoring on September 13, Maria developed into a tropical storm on September 16 strengthening just a couple of days later to a Category 5 hurricane, sustaining wind speeds of up to 160 mph and making the 2017 season the first since 2007 to feature two Category 5 hurricanes; and
WHEREAS, Maria weakened to a high-end Category 4 hurricane with winds of 155 mph before making landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20th, making Maria the strongest to hit the territory since the 1928 San Felipe hurricane; and
WHEREAS, with Maria hitting just 2 weeks after hurricane Irma skirted the Island, Puerto Rico has seen their death toll rise to 34 as of October 4th, with many still unaccounted for, and has suffered catastrophic damage including complete destruction of its previously damaged electrical grid, accumulating losses estimated at $40-85 billion USD; and
WHEREAS, of the 3.4 million people living in the Island, 95% are without power, less than half the population have potable water, 95% have no cell phone service and approximately 80% of the territory's agriculture has been lost, causing historic catastrophe and a humanitarian crisis in urgent need of attending; and
WHEREAS, at 13:14 Central Time on September 19th, a 7.1 earthquake struck the metropolitan area of Mexico City, with an epicenter in Puebla, located just 34 miles south of Mexico, causing the collapse of more than 40 buildings, trapping people inside, creating large plumes of dust, starting fires, killing 367 people, and injuring more than 6,000; and
WHEREAS, the September 19th quake coincidentally occurred on the 32nd anniversary of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, which killed around 10,000 people, hitting just two hours after a drill was conducted to commemorate the 1985 earthquake, and twelve days after an even larg...
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