Facebook Sends Connectivity Team To Puerto Rico, Zuckerberg Donates $1.5 Million

After a Category 4 hurricane hit Puerto Rico last week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Thursday the company will deploy a connectivity team to help the island.

His announcement comes after the Federal Communications Commision said Wednesday 91.1 percent of cell towers in Puerto Rico were out of service.

The FCC said:

“Overall, 91.1% (virtually no change from 90.9% yesterday) of cell sites are out of service. All counties in Puerto Rico have greater than 75% of their cell sites out of service. 31 (up from 29 yesterday) out of the 78 counties in Puerto Rico have 100% of their cell sites out of service.”

Zuckerberg noted the lack of communication services meant people can't connect with their loved ones and made it more difficult for rescue workers to coordinate relief efforts.

“We're working to get Puerto Rico back online. We're sending the Facebook connectivity team to deliver emergency telecommunications assistance to get the systems up and running,” Zuckerberg said in a post.

Hurricane Maria affected millions of Americans in Puerto Rico, killing 18 and leaving many without food, water, gasoline and electricity. To tackle those issues, Zuckerberg announced a $1.5 million donation to NetHope, a nonprofit that works to improve internet access, and the World Food Programme.

The social media platform is also donating Facebook ads to get important information on assistance and safety out to those on the island. In his post, Zuckerberg also attached a donation button for the nonprofit Save the Children to help those affected in Puerto Rico and other communities hit by hurricanes. As of Thursday afternoon, the CEO had raised more than $90,000.

Trump's Slow Response To Puerto Rico

After pressure and criticism over his response to Puerto Rico, President Donald Trump’s administration announced the U.S. would temporarily waive a law that was delaying aid to those affected on the island by the hurricane. The lifting of the century-old law, called the Jones Act, “will go into effect immediately,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Thursday.

The governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rosello, had pleaded Trump to increase aid for the 3.4 million Americans on the island. The governor said the island was suffering “vast” devastation during an interview with ABC. He told MSNBC only 40 percent of people in Puerto Rico had potable water.

Meanwhile, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz tweeted to Trump a “humanitarian crisis” was taking place in Puerto Rico.

“We need food, diesel, water and logistics support,” she said. Cruz acknowledged there were “boots on the ground,” but requested that they move to help residents.

FEMA pictures uploaded on social media show aid arriving to Puerto Rico, however reports say supplies have been sitting at shipping docks for days.