Hurricane Maria caused 2975 deaths, new study reveals

A recent study has put the death toll caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico at about 2,975, according to a new report from George Washington University,The released figure is 46 times more than the official toll given by the government.

Researchers calculated excess deaths that occurred in the US commonwealth between September 2017 and February 2018.

The study was commissioned by the Puerto Rican government after the September 2017 storm.

The latest estimated death toll is far higher than the current official toll of 64.

Experts are still not sure if the Puerto Rican government now will revise its official tally as a result.

CNN reported that researchers behind the study said they felt they were able to provide a more accurate estimate.