Blumenthal, Murphy head to Puerto Rico to see ongoing hurricane devastation

December 31, 2017 11:00 pm • Last Updated: January 01, 2018 10:09 pm

In this Dec. 22, 2017, photo, 6-year-old Melanie Oliveras González stands on the porch of her house, in front of a handful of electric cables knocked down by the winds of Hurricane Maria, in Morovis, Puerto Rico. Morovis has been without power since hurricane smashed into the island in November. (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti)

HARTFORD — U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy are planning to go to Puerto Rico to meet with local officials and see firsthand the work that remains to recover from Hurricane Maria.

Blumenthal and Murphy say they'll spend Tuesday and Wednesday on the island gathering evidence of the ongoing devastation. The Connecticut Democrats say they'll use the information to make a case for additional disaster relief.

The hurricane hit on Sept. 20 with winds of up to 154 mph, knocking power out to the entire island.

Puerto Rico authorities said Friday that nearly half of power customers in the U.S. territory still lack electricity.

The senators' itinerary includes meeting with Puerto Rico's governor, visiting a hospital and a manufacturing facility, and touring Las Piedras with the municipality's mayor.

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