Puerto Rico Neighborhood Erupts in Cheers as Power Finally Comes on, Months After Hurricane Maria

A Puerto Rico neighborhood that's been left in the dark since Hurricane Maria raged through last year finally had their lights turned back on.

Residents of Rio Piedras Heights in San Juan were elated over the weekend as their neighborhood became energized following months of effort led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Hurricane Maria wiped out power across the island when it ravaged the region in September as the most powerful storm the area had seen in nearly a century.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a video of the celebrating residents while noting their Task Force Power Restoration continues to work on getting the lights back on for all Puerto Ricans.

"USACE will continue working to ensure all people have an adequate quality of life and essential services so that they can take care of their families and businesses. We will continue this partnered effort until the mission is complete and power is restored," the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wrote on Facebook.

A similar scene unfolded in a Puerto Rico school recently when the power finally flipped back on, stirring teachers and students alike to jump for joy.

Hurricane Maria took many lives in Puerto Rico, as well. While the official total is in the dozens, CNN and The New York Times have reported the number may be closer to 1,000 if the lives that were lost in weeks following the storm were counted.

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