Crematoriums and funeral homes are being authorized by the Puerto Rican government to burn the bodies of Hurricane Maria victims, without counting them in the official death toll, according to a report Friday.
The official death toll is currently at 51, a number that according to funeral homes, hospitals, and crematoriums is incorrect, BuzzFeed reports.
After visiting 10 funeral homes in Puerto Rico, the outlet found that the central institute certifying official hurricane deaths is giving crematoriums permission to burn bodies of potential hurricane victims.
Funeral homes and crematorium directors told BuzzFeed News that they had received dozens of bodies of people who died from hurricane-related causes. A revelation that, which just from 2 homes has the potential to double to Puerto Rico hurricane death toll.
The Forensic Institute permitted 42 hurricane victims bodies to be burned, one crematorium director told the publication.
