The speed and quality of the federal response to Hurricane Maria’s devastating toll on Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands continue to draw scrutiny.

Because of the increasing frequency of natural disasters, we know the quality and robustness of response and relief will have deep repercussions for recovery of the island’s people, homes, and communities.

With the likely relocation of tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans to the US mainland, combined with the devastating effects of the island's financial crisis before the hurricane, the relief and response delays to Maria may radically alter communities’ demographics and the relationships of victims to their hometowns.

But there is hope that those remaining in “la isla del encanto” (the island of enchantment) will survive the disaster and cut through the detritus of relief and response to be a model with the help of those who leave. For the US to recover from the current season of disasters, though, we must learn to plant the seeds of comprehensive preparation and thoughtful response.

Read the full article by Carlos Martin about disaster relief on Urban Institute