Huracán María
The major hurricane that crossed Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017 and caused the island's worst recent crisis, with widespread destruction and one of the longest blackouts in United States history. It marks a dividing line in infrastructure, population and tourism. It is still the yardstick people use for every storm since.
Example
When someone says before María or after María, they are using 2017 as the dividing line for almost everything.
Best tours and tickets
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San Juan Guided Turtle Snorkel Tour and Complimentary Videos
★★★★★ 4.9 · 18,453 reviews
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Top Rated El Yunque Rainforest & Waterslide - SmallGroup Tour
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Related terms
Practical
Temporada de huracanes
The official Atlantic season running from June 1 to November 30, with peak activity between August and October. Most...
Practical
Apagón
A power outage, common on the island because of the state of the grid and worse since 2017. It can last minutes or...
Nature
Cotorra puertorriqueña
A green parrot endemic to the island and one of the most endangered birds in the Caribbean, with a very small wild...
Practical
IVU (impuesto sobre ventas)
Puerto Rico's sales and use tax, 11.5 percent, made up of 10.5 percent commonwealth and 1 percent municipal. Prepared...
Frequently asked questions
Is damage still visible?
Barely in tourist areas. On secondary roads, in the mountains and across the power grid the effects and pending works still show.
Is it a sensitive subject?
It is part of normal conversation on the island, but it involved deaths and personal loss. Talk about it with respect rather than as an anecdote.
