Puerto Rico poses a unique set of challenges, which have caused immense problems with disaster response. From Bloomberg News: Puerto Rico’s $74 Billion Burden Left It Helpless When Maria Hit. Years of crushing debt and dwindling budgets took their toll. Roads and utilities crumbled, and ranks of rescuers thinning.

Long before Hurricane Maria struck Sept. 20, a man-made disaster left the bankrupt U.S. commonwealth vulnerable, according to a review of the territory’s finances and $74 billion debt.