Hurricane Maria

As soon as Hurricane Maria barreled through Puerto Rico as a Category 4 storm in September, city officials stepped into action to prepare for an influx of families.

Democrats Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and Republicans George H.W. and George W. Bush gathered in College Station, Texas, home of Texas A&M University, to try to unite the country after the storms.

New Jersey is helping Puerto RIco and the Virgin Islands recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria with manpower and donations.

During a 75-minute "Edit-A-Thon," hosted by the school's Digital Studies Center, students worked on creating digital maps of the region to indicate where buildings once stood and who may be cut off from access.

President Donald Trump said his visit was "not about me" but then praised local officials for offering kind words about the recovery effort.

Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz implored President Trump to "make sure somebody is in charge that is up to the task of saving lives," while the president asserted that U.S. officials and emergency personnel are working all-out against daunting odds, with "incredible" results.

Sen. Robert Menendez will be in Puerto Rico and meet with its governor as workers from the Port Authority and the city of Newark and the head of the Red Cross in New Jersey deploy to the island nation ravaged by Hurricane Maria.

Gubernatorial candidates Phil Murphy and Lt. Gov Guadago issued a joint statement in support of New Jersey for Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief, organized by the Puerto Rican Congress of New Jersey and leaders of New Jersey's half-million-strong Puerto Rican community.

Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz, who has yet to hear from her mother and sister, said there is a great deal of concern in the community about the safety of loved ones in Puerto Rico.