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Puerto Rico Hurricane Death Toll Rises To 34

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- The governor of Puerto Rico says the official death toll from Hurricane Maria has been increased to 34 from 16.

Gov. Ricardo Rossello also says he believes the hurricane caused $90 billion in damage across the island.

The governor made the announcement at a news conference following President Donald Trump's short visit to the U.S. territory to assess the storm's impact.

During his stop, Trump congratulated Puerto Ricans for avoiding a high death toll of "a real catastrophe like Katrina." As many as 1,800 people died in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina breached levees protecting New Orleans.

© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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