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weak or fragile. >> reporter: walt higgins is the new ceo for puerto rico's you power authority tasked with fixing a power grid never built to handle cat 4 or 5 hurricanes. just weeks app ago, an island wide blackout was caused by a fallen tree. higgins promises though most without power not all will have it restored in a matter of weeks. what he cannot say is what will happen if another storm plunges the island into darkness. >> my straight answer to that is we are readier this year than we were last year. >> reporter: and people on the island will be counting on it for their very lives. a harvard study now indicates a lack of power after maria is partly to blame for more than 4600 deaths, far more than puerto rico's official death toll of 64. will this be enough? >> you know, yes. >> reporter: for fema's part, it is showing off this warehouse full of disaster relief supplies. the plan for the next disaster compared to maria preparations
respond to a natural disaster. eight months after maria, parts of the island are still dealing with what fema calls the longest power outage in modern u.s. history. more than 10,000 customers are still in the dark. can this power grid, can it sustain itself if another hurricane were to come? >> the most honest thing to say about our grid is that it's weak or fragile. >> reporter: walt higgins is the new ceo for puerto rico's power authority tasked with fixing a power grid never built to handle cat 4 or 5 hurricanes. an island-wide blackout was caused by a fallen tree. higgins promises most of those still without power, though, not all, will have it restored in a matter of weeks. what he cannot say is what will happen if another storm plunges the island into darkness. >> my straight answer to that is, we are readier this year than we were last year. >> reporter: and people on the island will be counting on it for their very lives.
of the island are still dealing with what fema calls the longest power outage in modern u.s. history. more than 10,000 customers are still in the dark. can this power grid, can it sustain itself if another hurricane were to come? >> the most honest thing to say about our grid is that it's weak or fragile. >> reporter: walt higgins is the new ceo for puerto rico's power authority taxed with fixing a power grid never built to handle cat 4 or 5 hurricanes. just weeks ago an islandwide blackout was caused by a fallen tree. higgins promised most of those without power will have it restored in a matter of weeks. what he cannot say is what will happen if another storm plunges the island into darkness. >> my straight answer to that is we are readier this year than we were last year. >> reporter: people on the island will be counting on it for their very lives. will this be enough? >> you know, yes.
>> the most honest thing to say about our grid is that it's weak or fragile. >> reporter: walt higgins is the new ceo for puerto rico's power authority, tasked with fixing a power grid never built to handle cat 4 or 5 hurricanes. just weeks ago, an island-wide blackout was caused by a fallen tree. higgins promises most of those still without power, though not all, will have it restored in a matter of weeks. what he cannot say is what will happen if another storm plunges the island into darkness. >> my straight answer to that is, we are readier this year than we were last year. >> reporter: and people on the island will be counting on it for their very lives. will this be enough? >> you know, yes. >> reporter: for fema's part, it's showing off this warehouse full of disaster relief supplies. the plan for the next disaster compared to maria preparations to have seven times more water and meals, six times more generators, eight times more tarps, all on the island before the next hurricane.
weeks ago, an island wide blackout was caused by a fallen tree. higgins promises most of those still without power, though, not all will have it restored in a matter of weeks. when it cannot say is what will happen if another storm plunges the island into darkness. >> my straight answer to that is we're readier this year than we were last year. >> reporter: people on the island will be counting on it for their very lives. harvard study now indicates a lack of power after maria is partly to blame for more than 4600 deaths, far more than puerto rico's official death toll of 64. will this be enough? >> you know, yes. >> reporter: for fema's part, it is showing off this warehouse full of disaster relief supplies. the plan for the next disaster compared to maria preparations to have seven times more water and meals, six times more generators, eight times more tarps, all on the island before the next hurricane.
>> tarps are still being used, roads washed out and emergency plans are still being worked out. mayor ernesto says his municipality cannot take another storm. so how frustrating is that as the leader of 30,000 people? >> it is difficult. you see the people, the frustration. >> reporter: he says he doesn't have the basic resources or the money to respond to a natural disaster. eight months after maria, parts of the island are still dealing with what fema calls the longest power outage in modern u.s. history, more than 10,000 customers are still in the dark. can this power grid, can it sustain itself if another hurricane were to come? >> most honest thing to say about our grid is that it is weak or fragile. >> walt higgins is the new ceo for puerto rico's power authority, tasked with fixing a power grid never built to handle cat four or five hurricanes.
or fragile. >> reporter: walt higgins is the new ceo for the puerto rico power authority. it was never built to handle cat 4 or 5 hurricanes. just weeks ago, an island-wide blackout was caused by a fallen tree. higgins promises most of those without power, not all, will have it restored in a matter of weeks. what he cannot say is what will happen if another storm plunges the island into darkness. >> my straight answer is we were readier this year than last year. >> reporter: and people on the island will be counting on it for their very lives. a harvard study shows a lack of power after maria is partly to blame for 4,600 deaths, far more than the official death toll of 64. will this be enough? you kn >> you know, yes. >> reporter: for fema, it is showing off this warehouse full of disaster relief supplies.