Trump phones Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands heads amid hurricane recovery

President Trump spoke with the governors of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Thursday as the region deals with recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Maria, according to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. 

Hurricane Maria pummeled the islands in the Caribbean, bringing heavy rain and winds, and claiming the lives of at least 19 people in the region. 

{mosads}Trump officially declared that major disasters exist in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Wednesday. 

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló called the Category 4 storm the “most devastating storm to hit the island this century, if not in modern history.”

Puerto Rico’s 3.4 million residents were left without power after the storm passed Wednesday.

Rosselló warned that it could be months before power is fully restored to the territory.

The governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Kenneth Mapp, also said the islands were left without power. 

“We need help. With our FEMA partners and our cruise ship partners, we’re bringing in a lot of food, water, tarpaulins, personal hygiene packs, cots and blankets,” Mapp said.