A real-time understanding of the distribution and duration of power outages after a major disaster is a precursor to minimizing their harmful consequences. Here, we develop an approach for using daily satellite nighttime lights data to create spatially disaggregated power outage estimates, tracking electricity restoration efforts after disasters strike. In contrast to existing utility data, these estimates are independent, open, and publicly-available, consistently measured across regions that may be serviced by several different power companies, and inclusive of distributed power supply (off-grid systems). We apply the methodology in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, which caused the longest blackout in US history. Within all of the island’s settlements, we track outages and recovery times, and link these measures to census-based demographic characteristics of residents. Our results show an 80% decrease in lights, in total, immediately after Hurricane Maria. During the recovery, a disproportionate share of long-duration power failures (> 120 days) occurred in rural municipalities (41% of rural municipalities vs. 29% of urban municipalities), and in the northern and eastern districts. Unexpectedly, we also identify large disparities in electricity recovery between neighborhoods within the same urban area, based primarily on the density of housing. For many urban areas, poor residents, the most vulnerable to increased mortality and morbidity risks from power losses, shouldered the longest outages because they lived in less dense, detached housing where electricity restoration lagged. The approach developed in this study demonstrates the potential of satellite-based estimates of power recovery to improve the real-time monitoring of disaster impacts, globally, at a spatial resolution that is actionable for the disaster response community.
With growing numbers of Marshallese immigrating to the United States, increasing attention is given to the enabling factors that support migration both pre-departure and post-arrival. This article provides an analysis of structured interviews and surveys between College of the Marshall Islands students living in Majuro in comparison to first generation Marshallese living in Springdale, Arkansas. The analysis sought to understand the intent of Marshallese students to move to the United States, their reasons for emigrating, and their expectations regarding life outside of the Marshall Islands in contrast to the current lives and livelihoods of Marshallese living in Arkansas. This article identifies the disparities between expectations, opportunities, and information exchange and provides options for improving the immigration and accommodation of Marshallese into the United States.
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