NIST Releases Preliminary Findings on Hurricane Maria Impact Study

USA: NIST Releases Preliminary Findings on Hurricane Maria Impact Study

A federal study examining the 2017 Hurricane Maria disaster in Puerto Rico has produced its first set of preliminary findings, highlighting the storm’s extreme wind and rain conditions, infrastructure failures, and health impacts that contributed to the death toll.

Hurricane Maria Overview

Hurricane Maria made landfall on September 20, 2017 as a Category 4 storm, generating peak gusts of up to 140 mph (225 km/h) over flat terrain. In mountainous regions, wind speeds accelerated to over 200 mph (322 km/h). The storm produced as much as 30 inches (76 cm) of rainfall, triggered more than 70,000 landslides, and caused nearly 3,000 deaths and over $90 billion in damages, making it one of the costliest hurricanes in U.S. history.

Investigation Scope and Objectives

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) launched its Hurricane Maria investigation in 2018 under the National Construction Safety Team Act, aiming to identify building‑performance failures and recommend improvements to codes, standards, and emergency‑response practices that can enhance resilience across the United States.

Methodology

Researchers conducted hundreds of surveys and interviews, examined more than 1,500 households, 450 businesses, 300 schools, and 16 hospitals, and performed laboratory and wind‑tunnel tests. They also created a detailed wind‑speed map, collected long‑term wind data from cell towers, and built computer models to simulate the storm’s progression and recovery challenges.

Preliminary Meteorological Findings

Only three of 22 weather stations remained fully operational throughout the hurricane, and a Doppler radar site was destroyed. The limited data confirmed that while flat‑terrain gusts peaked at 140 mph, topographic acceleration pushed winds beyond 200 mph in certain mountain corridors. Rain‑gauge failures hampered precise precipitation measurements, though the highest recorded total reached 30 inches.

Health and Mortality Insights

Surveys of families in the two weeks after landfall indicated that roughly one‑tenth of the deaths occurred on the day of impact, and a small fraction resulted directly from storm‑related injuries. The majority were linked to reduced access to health care for non‑communicable conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease. Road blockages and damaged hospitals further delayed treatment.

Infrastructure Disruptions

Approximately 95.3 % of schools lost power, remaining without electricity for an average of over 100 days, and many lacked safe drinking water. Landslides, collapsed bridges, and fallen trees impeded road travel, cutting off hospital access for just over half of the population immediately after the storm. Hospital facilities suffered flooding, loss of power, and equipment damage, compounding patient care challenges.

Ongoing Work and Timeline

NIST’s National Construction Safety Team expects to complete its full report in 2026. The preliminary findings will be refined as additional data are analyzed and as the team continues to assess the compounded effects of subsequent earthquakes, the COVID‑19 pandemic, Hurricane Fiona (2022), and Tropical Storm Ernesto (2024) on recovery efforts.

Implications for Future Resilience

Lead investigator Joseph Main emphasized that the study’s insights are intended to inform updates to building codes, standards, and emergency‑preparedness protocols nationwide, not only for Puerto Rico but for all U.S. communities vulnerable to hurricanes and other natural hazards.

This report is based on information from NIST, licensed under Public Domain (U.S. Government Work). Source: Official U.S. Government release.