Yabucoa, Puerto Rico

Maria as it was making landfall near Yabucoa on September 20, 2017

Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017 as a high-end, category 4 hurricane, knocking out power to the entire island (and also affected access to clean water). The hurricane triggered numerous landslides in Yabucoa with its significant rainfall.[5][6][7]

Elderly were especially affected[8] because many homes were completely destroyed.[9]

Map of landslides in Puerto Rico caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017

Many elderly living in Yabucoa died as a result of Hurricane Maria. People on oxygen machines died with the lack of electrical power. In June, 2018 the administrators of the municipality stated that they noticed an uptick in mortality rates (deaths) and were relaying the information since February, of 2018 but the government of Puerto Rico was not interested in hearing about it. Many more deaths were occurring than expected. An entire new section to the cemetery was built following the hurricane and the deaths that followed.[10]

As of June 12, 2018, eight months after the hurricane, more than 30% of Yabucoa homes were still without electrical power, stated the mayor of Yabucoa, Rafael Surillo. He stated there were 4,000 residences with between 12,000 and 15,000 residents without electrical power, of 36,000 residents. Large swaths of Yabucoa municipality including Guayabota, Tejas, Juan Martín, Calabazas, Limones and Aguacate barrios, and 100% of Jácanas were without electrical power for nine months, some since Hurricane Irma had hit a week prior to Hurricane Maria.[10][11]

Subdivisions of Yabucoa

Like all municipalities of Puerto Rico, Yabucoa is subdivided into barrios. The municipal buildings, central square and large Catholic church are located in a barrio referred to as "el pueblo".[13][14][15][16]

Barrios (which are like minor civil divisions)[17] in turn are further subdivided into smaller local populated place areas/units called sectores (sectors in English). The types of sectores may vary, from normally sector to urbanización to reparto to barriada to residencial, among others.[18][19][20]

Entrance sign to Comunidad Ingenio

Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico (Special Communities of Puerto Rico) are marginalized communities whose citizens are experiencing a certain amount of social exclusion. A map shows these communities occur in nearly every municipality of the commonwealth. Of the 742 places that were on the list in 2014, the following barrios, communities, sectors, or neighborhoods were in Yabucoa: Ingenio, Jacanas Granja, Playa Guayanés, Tejas Trinidad, and Urbanización Jaime C. Rodríguez.[21][22]

• Guayanés Beach and pier[28]
• Kyle Rembis beach
• Hacienda Santa Lucía Ruins
• La Casa de la Cultura (House of Culture)
• Roig Refinery
• El Cocal Beach aka El Guano
• Public skatepark
• Playa Lucia Beach
• Petroleum Refinery[29]

Olein Recovery Corp. in Yabucoa in 2006

Yabucoa is known for its agricultural prowess because of the surrounding fertile valley that produces most of the island's plantain and bananas. Yabucoeños are known as the "sugar people" because most of the valley was used for sugar cane growth and because one of the most visible landmarks, seen when entering the municipality, is the old Hacienda Roig sugar mill, one of the last mills that produced sugar in Puerto Rico.[30]

There's an oil recycling company, the only one in the Caribbean, called Olein Recovery Corp. operating in Yabucoa.[31][32] During the COVID-19 pandemic Olein began manufacturing hand sanitizer.[33]

Yabucoa celebrates its patron saint festival in September / October. The Fiestas Patronales de los Santos Angeles Custodios is a religious and cultural celebration that generally features parades, games, artisans, amusement rides, regional food, and live entertainment.[34]

Other festivals and events celebrated in Yabucoa include:

• Sugar Cane Festival - May
• Beach Festival - May
• Festival del Carmen – July
• Campesino Festival – October
• Jíbaro de Martorell Festival – December

Community events are held at the Concha Acústica Toño Márquez.[35]

The Estadio Félix "Nacho" Millán stadium, where the Azucareros played their home games, sustained significant damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017.[36]

Azucareros de Yabucoa are the Double-A (baseball) team of Yabucoa and have won 4 championships. They won the 1994 championship playing against the Toritos de Cayey. In 1995 they won against Cidra and in 1996 they won against Cabo Rojo.[37] In 2020, Azucareros de Yabucoa was the eighth Puerto Rico Double-A baseball team to have won 900 games.[38][39]

The Estadio Félix "Nacho" Millán where the Azucareros played sustained significant damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017 and as of 2020 the stadium remains in disrepair.[36]

The design of the flag of Yabucoa is abstract, inspired by the colors of the municipal shield; green, white and violet.[41]

In the shield appear two angels the Santos Angeles Custodios, patron saints of Yabucoa. The color purple (violet) field of the shield represents the highest dignity of the angels. The walking sticks are attributes of the traveller, and refer to the holy office of the Angels as guides and companions in man's journey in his earthly life. The canes are adorned with guajana flowers, representing the wealth of the sugar cane. The green land where the angels stand symbolizes the fertile valley in which Yabucoa is located.[41]