Hurricane Maria kills 4,600 in Puerto Rico
San Juan, May 30: Hurricane Maria killed more than 4,600 people in Puerto Rico, 70 times the official death toll of 64, the media reported on Wednesday.
A Harvard University study estimated that a third of deaths after September's hurricane were due to interruptions in medical care caused by power cuts and broken road links, reports the BBC.
The Harvard researchers said interviews conducted in Puerto Rico suggested a 60 per cent increase in mortality in the three months after the storm.
They contacted more than 3,000 randomly selected households between January and March in 2018 and asked about displacement, infrastructure loss, and causes of death.
The experts said that an accurate count was complicated by the widespread devastation wreaked by the storm.
The Puerto Rico government said it "always expected the number to be higher than what was previously reported".
Carlos Mercader from Puerto Rico's Federal Affairs Administration said he welcomed the Harvard survey. "The magnitude of this tragic disaster caused by Hurricane Maria resulted in many fatalities," he said.
He added that the island's authorities had also commissioned George Washington University to study the number of deaths and these findings would be released soon, reports the BBC.
"Both studies will help us better prepare for future natural disasters and prevent lives from being lost," he said.
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Bengaluru: Four South African cheetahs arrive at Bannerghatta Biological Park
Bengaluru: Four cheetahs, including two females, have arrived at Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) from South Africa, NDTV reported.
The animals, brought from Induna Primate and Parrot Park in South Africa, landed at Kempegowda International Airport at around 1:15 am on Saturday. The transfer was carried out in accordance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, BBP said in a statement.
Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre received the cheetahs at the airport cargo terminal.
The Minister asked officials and veterinary teams to ensure strict quarantine protocols, a prescribed diet, and close health monitoring for 30 days to help the animals acclimate smoothly.
Highlighting that cheetahs, locally known as “Sivangi,” have disappeared from Karnataka’s forests, the minister stressed the need to raise public awareness through zoological institutions. He also instructed Dr Sunil Panwar, Member Secretary, Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK), to prioritise the safety and well-being of the animals.
The BBP officials said that before transportation, the cheetahs underwent thorough health inspections and quarantine in South Africa as per the guidelines of the Department of Animal Husbandry.
Required No Objection Certificates (NoC) were also obtained from Animal Quarantine Services prior to import.
"Upon arrival at BBP, the animals have been placed in a designated quarantine facility for post-import health checks and observation, after which they will be shifted to their enclosures for public viewing," the BBP said.
This import underscores BBP's commitment to international collaboration in wildlife conservation, scientific management of animals, and strict adherence to regulatory protocols. It further strengthens the park's role in ex-situ conservation and environmental education, official said.
