Tens of thousands of water bottles destined for desperate Puerto Ricans after devastating back-to-back hurricanes slammed into the US island territory remain unopened on farmland almost two years later, emergency aid officials confirmed Monday.

Aerial images captured by AFP show a sea of water bottles, packaged into massive bundles, heaped on what appears to be a private estate in the Higuillar neighborhood in Dorado, 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of San Juan.

In some pictures, the ground isn't visible through the piles. In others, broken pallets can be seen among the stacks.

A spokesman for the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) confirmed it had provided the water bottles as part of relief efforts for Hurricane Maria, which occurred in September 2017.

The water had expired, and the bottles were assumed to be in the process of disposal and recycling.

The spokesman declined to give further details on how many bottles of water there were, how long they had been on the farm, and why the water had been allowed to expire.

He added that all the issues were "under review by the legal department."

Large sections of Puerto Rico spent months without electricity or water after consecutive hurricanes -- Irma and Maria -- battered the American territory in September 2017, leaving nearly 3,000 dead.

The Puerto Rican government has come under fire for its hurricane recovery efforts, which have largely been viewed as slow and sloppy.

In early July, prosecutors charged six former government officials with embezzling $15 million in hurricane reconstruction money.

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Poland needs to save water for non-rainy day
Warsaw (AFP) July 28, 2019
With his two fishing rods planted firmly on the bank of the Vistula river, 85-year-old Tadeusz Norberciak peers at rocks exposed on the dry riverbed, a telling sign of Poland's looming water crisis. "I can't remember water levels being as low as what we've seen in recent years, it's tragic", says the pensioner, sporting a fisherman's vest and cap for protection against the blazing sun. "Further north, it's even worse, the Vistula looks like puddles," he told AFP on a part of the waterway passin ... read more