#4645Boricuas: Twitter reactions to the estimates of deaths by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico

This study explores the sentiment expressed by Twitter users after the Harvard University report was released, reporting a death estimate of 4,645 Puerto Ricans following Hurricane Maria. Researchers utilized the NVivo addition NCapture to collect Twitter data including the hashtag #4645Boricuas. Thematic content analyses explored emergent themes within the hashtag. Geographic information systems (GIS) documented the location of Tweets and differences across geographical locations among Twitter users. The themes that emerged in #4645Boricuas included: disaster phases, media, psychological processes, and politics. GIS documented that Tweets from Puerto Rico were more likely to discuss themes of psychological processes, politics, and resilience compared with disaster phases or media. The present data highlights how individuals engage with Twitter to cope following the trauma of natural disasters.

Automated summary

This study used Twitter data to examine the sentiment expressed by users after the release of a report on the death toll of Puerto Ricans following Hurricane Maria. Findings suggest that Twitter users from Puerto Rico were more likely to discuss themes related to psychological processes, politics, and resilience, rather than disaster phases or media.