Help finally arrived to a desperate town in Puerto Rico after a single photograph signaled just how badly supplies were needed.
The words “S.O.S. Necesitamos Agua/Comida,” which translates to “we need water and food,” were written on the pavement of the small town of Humacao. The image was taken on Sunday and has been shared widely on Twitter.
Angelina Ruiz-Lambides, an associate director of the Cayo Santiago Field Station, captured the scene while she was flying over Punta Santiago to survey the damage from Hurricane Maria.
Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló saw the SOS image on social media and decided to take action and deliver help himself.
“You may have seen the images on social media, it was a big SOS sign that they wanted food and water,” Rosselló said. “We went there, got food and water, established some of the security protocols … we’re really focusing on what needs to get done right now, which is making people have their life support.”
With the help of the National Guard, the island’s governor was able to deliver a complete shipment of supplies to the people of Humacao on Wednesday.
“The governor saw the photo and he wanted to deliver the supplies himself to make sure they arrived to the right location,” said Magdiel Lugo, the governor’s photographer.
Rosselló stressed that the government is trying to get food, water and fuel to people across the island.
For now 97% of people remain without power throughout the island and about half the residents do not have water. The US military is set to send another 2,000 to 3,000 troops to Puerto Rico in the upcoming days, military officials tell CNN.