Governor Andrew Cuomo is back in New York after a day-long trip to Puerto Rico. The governor took the trip to witness the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria. NY1's Angi Gonzalez filed the following report.

Governor Andrew Cuomo returned to Kennedy Airport Friday night visibly exhausted after his daylong trip to Puerto Rico, a last-minute trip organized to survey the damage left behind by Hurricane Maria and to offer assistance.  

"My opinion is, in person, it is much worse than appears on the TV reports," Cuomo said.

The governor took a tour of Puerto Rico by air and later in Humvees. Video provided by the governor's office shows neighborhoods paralyzed by up to eight feet of water, and residents who must wade through contaminated and brown water when leaving their homes.  

It was a visit that came at the request of Puerto Rico's own governor, Ricardo Rosselló.

"When I asked him for aid and for collaboration, the governor didn't hesitate," Rosselló said.

JetBlue donated the plane needed to make the trip a reality. The cargo hold was stuffed with a variety of donations, everything from food and water to much-needed generators.

The entire island is still without electricity, and it could be months before it is restored.  

"We left an assessment team on the island who is going to be working on getting the power up and running," Cuomo said. "That is probably the most significant infrastructure system that's been damaged."

Rep. Nydia Velasquez was among those on the trip. She says the visit gave her new purpose.

"As a Puerto Rican, I just want to say that going there today gave me the strength to go back to Washington and make the case on behalf of 3.5 million American citizens," she said.

But there are many among the 700,000 New Yorkers of Puerto Rican descent who have still been unable to make connections with loved ones on the island. Among them is Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. 

"I have three aunts and cousins and an uncle who is on his death bed in Bayamon. We do not have any contact. It's complete radio silence over there," Diaz Jr. said. "Your viewers should know that the island of Puerto Rico is not ever going to be the same again."

If you'd like to donate supplies to help the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, a number of firehouses and EMS stations in all five boroughs are collecting items.