Puerto Rico Cable Network Making Its Signal Available For US Mainland Residents In Aftermath Of Hurricane Maria

Almost a month after Hurricane Maria, some US residents haven’t been able to communicate with their family or friends in Puerto Rico. There are currently more than five million Puerto Ricans living in the continental U.S.—more than on the island, and their concern is significant.

WAPA America, the U.S. cable network arm of Puerto Rico’s leading broadcast network, is partnering with its MVPD to allow all of their subscribers to have access to the channel free of charge, and making WAPA America’s comprehensive live broadcast coverage of Hurricane Maria’s aftermath.

The network, which is available on the Hispanic program packages of every major cable, satellite and Telco provider in the U.S., has also made the network available for free live streaming to the entire country here, where the station continues to provide unprecedented in-studio and on-location coverage of the storm and its aftermath.

“We know a lot of our U.S.-based brothers and sisters have family and loved ones in Puerto Rico, and we are proud to provide the only platform where Puerto Ricans and other viewers on the U.S. mainland can follow the aftermath of the most dangerous storm to ravage the Island in decades,” said Jose E. Ramos, President of WAPA TV. “We are committed to being the trusted resource people turn to for coverage of the most important events affecting Puerto Rico.”

Considered the most-trusted news source in Puerto Rico, the network has the most advanced news technology on the island and an outstanding news team that produces award-winning news reports from Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and the U.S.

The powerful tropical cyclone made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 21, 2017, with winds of 155 mph (250 km/h), becoming the strongest to hit the territory since the 1928 San Felipe hurricane, as well as the most intense hurricane to hit the territory in recorded history.

The death toll in Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria has increased to 45. Pedro Cerame, the governor's director of communications in Washington, said that Maria was the worst hurricane to hit the unincorporated U.S. territory.

Category 4 Maria, left the whole island blacked out and badly damaged the houses, leaving a trail of total destruction, as did the collapse in all communication lines. The storm ripped trees out of the ground and caused widespread flooding, particularly in San Juan, the capital, where many residential streets looked like rivers.