US President Donald Trump has perhaps belatedly tweeted an appeal on behalf of the hurricane-stricken island of Puerto Rico, adding his voice to the growing chorus calling for help as the scale of the disaster reveals itself.<br /><br />Many of its three and a half million people have lost everything, including power, fresh water, and functioning infrastructure and services. Fuel and food are in short supply, and the costs of rebuilding are astronomical.<br /><br />Trump was quick to donate one million dollars of his own money to charities in the Houston area after Hurricane Harvey, but he has not yet made a similar gesture to victims of Irma and Maria.<br /><br />One person pledging money for Puerto Rico is singer Jennifer Lopez, whose parents are Puerto Rican.<br /><br />“My cousin and I and our family still haven’t been able to hear from all of our family over there and we are concerned for them and everyone on the island. And I will be donating $1 million from the proceeds of my Las Vegas show,” she announced.<br /><br />A quick look on social media shows many other celebrities are expressing alarm about Puerto Rico’s plight.<br /><br />Seen from space the effects of Hurricane Maria are truly dramatic, with most of the island blacked out because of the destruction of the energy grid. <br /><br />Satellite night images of #PuertoRico. #HurricaneMaria knocked out power grid, millions without electricity. More https://t.co/UxxCHH5OVC pic.twitter.com/yUDLk8V0Jf— NOAA Satellites (NOAASatellites) 25 septembre 2017<br /><br /><br />On the ground damaged hospitals have set up temporary wards, where patients lie in bed to recover or await treatment outdoors, and staff hold their meetings.<br />
