Puerto Rico braces for new hurricane season
San Juan, June 2: Puerto Rico is bracing for a new hurricane season just eight months after hurricane Maria, a category 4 storm, slammed into the island causing a major electricity crisis, the media reported.
Maria hit Puerto Rico in September and wiped out the US territory's power grid, leaving the entire island in the dark, reports CNN.
With the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane season under way as of Friday, the desperation among those still without power had led some to take deadly risks to get it back.
"You see it in the eyes of the people, the frustration," Utuado Mayor Ernesto Irizarry told CNN on Friday.
Irizarry said that his city was not prepared for another storm.
Authorities in the cities of Arroyo, Bayamon, San Juan, Anasco, Salinas and Toa Baja said the vulnerable power grid would be the biggest issue if the island was hit soon.
Just weeks ago, an island-wide blackout was caused by a fallen tree, according to the Puerto Rico Power Authority (PREPA).
"I think the most honest thing to say about our grid is that it's weak or fragile," Walt Higgins, the new CEO of PREPA, told CNN.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects the season, which began June 1, to be "near-or above normal" -- but not to the same degree seen last year.
Aerial view reveals hundreds of homes is the island country still depending on blue tarps to provide shelter in homes.
While the US Army Corps of Engineers has completed the majority of debris removal, the cleanup continues.
Hurricane Maria was one of the worst natural disasters on record to affect Puerto Rico. Sixty-four people were killed in the island.
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Modi urges industry to ramp up investment, prioritise research to scale up manufacturing
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged industry leaders to step up investments, embrace emerging technologies and prioritise research to help India Inc fully leverage the vast opportunities offered by free trade agreements with various nations.
"The days of cutting corners in research are over. We must now make substantial investments in research and development and ensure that our products meet global quality standards. Now we have got opportunities to move forward, so we should have only one mantra - Quality, Quality, Quality," he said while addressing a second webinar on Budget 2026-27.
Stressing that India has entered into free trade agreements with numerous countries, he said, these agreements have opened up a wide range of opportunities for the country.
"In such a situation, he said, "our responsibility is that we should never compromise on quality."
Today, the world is seeking reliable and resilient manufacturing partners, he said, adding that India has a strong opportunity to fulfil this role.
"Our direction is clear. Our resolve is clear. Build more, produce more, connect more, and now the need is to export more," he said.
Pointing out that a significant transformation is currently underway in the global economy, he said that markets are no longer focused solely on cost; sustainability has become an equally important consideration.
"The Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Mission is a key initiative driving this shift. Incorporating sustainability into core business strategies is now essential. Industries that invest early in clean technologies will gain better access to emerging markets in the years ahead," he said.
Highlighting the importance of infrastructure and logistics, he said, they serve as fundamental pillars of our growth strategy.
This year's budget proposes a record level of capital expenditure to support these priorities, he said.
As India emerges as a beacon of hope for the world thanks to its robust economy, and as global supply chains undergo transformation, the prime minister said, rapid economic development has become the cornerstone for realising the vision of Viksit Bharat.
