YABUCOA, PUERTO RICO -- In addition to dealing with continuing challenges nine months after Hurricane Maria, one municipality in Puerto Rico is dealing with a disturbing trend many believe is directly related to the storm's aftermath: a rise in reported mental health problems and suicide attempts.
- Storm first made landfall in Yabucoa
- Mountainside community still without electricity
- Some believe feeling isolated, cut off following storm may be leading to trend
Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, is the place where Hurricane Maria first made landfall. It also happens to be one of the places that is still suffering from a lack of power.
Some on the island suspect that living without electricity for so long has contributed to a rise in reported mental health problems, including more suicide attempts.
Data gathered by the municipality from Yabucoa’s 911 call logs show a spike in suicide attempts in the past 6 months, especially in April.
That month saw police respond to 11 attempted suicide calls, mostly from remote mountainside communities that still don’t have power.
The most disturbing data, however, comes from within schools.
Teodoro Aguilera Mora, a grade 10-12 school, saw 5 suicide attempts in the past six months. Luis Munoz Marin, a grade 6-12 school, saw a total of 14 suicide attempts.
Many in Yabucoa believe the rapid changes and feelings of isolation after the hurricane led to the increase.
In response, the municipality has launched a suicide prevention campaign called "Si A La Vida," or "Say Yes to Life."
“It’s been emotionally draining to try and help in the midst of disaster, but we haven’t backed down,” said Yabucoa Communications Director Maribel Rivera.
Volunteers have been handing out flyers as people walk through the streets of Yabucoa. The flyers have encouraging words and the number to a suicide prevention hotline.
The municipality is also teaming up with other organizations such as the American Red Cross to send mental health experts to communities where people still don’t have power.