Puerto Rico reopening some schools after hurricane devastation

San Juan, Oct 24 (IANS) Puerto Rican authorities will start reopening some public schools from Tuesday, a small step towards normalcy weeks after Hurricane Maria left a trail of destruction across the US territory, the media reported.

Classes will begin Tuesday in regions on opposite ends of the island, in San Juan and Mayaguez, according to education officials.

For some of the US territory's 345,000 students, the resumption of classes is a major step, reports CNN.

Roughly 3 million Puerto Ricans, or more than 80 per cent of the island's residents, still have no power. About a third of households were without reliable drinking water.

Of the more than 1,100 public schools on the island, dozens were badly damaged, hundreds were serving as community centres and more than 70 others were being used to shelter families who lost their homes.

Puerto Rico Education Secretary Julia Keleher said she wanted to resume classes for all as soon as possible. But she wanted repairs made first to ensure the safety of students and teachers, CNN reported.

She said some schools in Bayamon, in the northern coastal valley, and in the southern city of Ponce are expected to reopen on October 30.

Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico on September 20. It caused damage estimated around $90 billion and killed 48 people.

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