Hurricane Fiona made landfall Sunday in southwestern Puerto Rico at a time when your complete island had misplaced energy because it bought battered almost 5 years to the day after blockbuster Hurricane Maria ravaged the U.S. territory.
Fiona, a Class 1 storm, reached Puerto Rico at 3:20 p.m. ET, bringing most sustained winds of 85 mph, the Nationwide Hurricane Middle mentioned. The system is anticipated to unleash life-threatening rainfall of as much as 25 inches and harmful mudslides, forecasters mentioned. “Catastrophic flooding” was probably throughout Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, in keeping with the hurricane heart.
“It’s time to take motion and be involved,” Nino Correa, Puerto Rico’s emergency administration commissioner, mentioned earlier than landfall.
Luma, the corporate that operates energy transmission and distribution, mentioned fierce winds disrupted transmission strains, resulting in “a blackout on all of the island.”
President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency on the territory, house to three.2 million folks, the overwhelming majority Americans.
Hurricane Fiona’s projected path
The middle of Fiona will probably proceed to move close to or over southwestern and western Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon and night, the middle mentioned. Fiona would then roar nearer to the northern coast of the Dominican Republic on Sunday evening and Monday earlier than shifting to close or to the east of the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday.
“Torrential rains and mudslides are anticipated throughout Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic,” the hurricane heart mentioned.
After its path via the Caribbean and Bahamas, Fiona may transfer on a monitor towards Bermuda, Accuweather mentioned. Hurricane warnings had been in impact Sunday for Puerto Rico and elements of the Dominican Republic.
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How a lot rain is predicted?
Fiona was anticipated to drop 12 to 16 inches of rain over japanese and southern Puerto Rico, and as a lot as 25 inches in remoted spots, forecasters mentioned.
The storm may pound cities and cities alongside the southern coast which might be nonetheless recovering from a collection of highly effective earthquakes that struck in 2019.
“These rains will produce life-threatening flash flooding and concrete flooding throughout Puerto Rico and the japanese Dominican Republic, together with mudslides and landslides in areas of upper terrain,” the hurricane heart warned.
Puerto Rican Gov. Pedro Pierluisi mentioned he was able to declare a state of emergency if wanted and activated the Nationwide Guard.
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What was the storm that devastated the island?
Fiona is not going to be the mammoth system Hurricane Maria was when it made landfall as a Class 4 storm on Sept. 20, 2017, but it surely nonetheless posed a critical menace, Accuweather mentioned.
Maria was devastating to the island, resulting in not less than 3,000 deaths. Hundreds of houses, roads, and leisure areas have but to be mounted or rebuilt. The federal government has accomplished solely 21% of greater than 5,500 official post-hurricane tasks, and 7 of the island’s 78 municipalities report that not a single mission has begun, the Related Press reported.
“I believe all of us Puerto Ricans who lived via Maria have that post-traumatic stress of, ‘What’s going to occur, how lengthy is it going to final and what wants may we face?’” resident Danny Hernández mentioned.
Hernandez, who works within the capital of San Juan, mentioned he deliberate to journey out the storm with household within the western city of Mayaguez.
Residents stocking up at grocery shops had been nervous, Hernandez mentioned.
“After Maria, all of us skilled shortage to some extent,” he mentioned.
Within the southwest city of El Combate, which is within the storm’s path, lodge co-owner Tomás Rivera fretted concerning the quantity of rain that might be unleashed.
Rivera mentioned employees introduced bedridden members of the family to the lodge, involved concerning the sluggish authorities response after Maria. Rivera mentioned he has diesel, gasoline, meals, water, and ice available. “What we’ve finished is ready ourselves to rely as little as potential on the central authorities,” he mentioned.
MARIA DEATH TOLL:Hurricane Maria killed greater than 70 instances the official toll, examine says.
How huge of a priority is the ability grid?
Hurricane Maria obliterated Puerto Rico’s energy grid. The grid continues to be very fragile and within the strategy of reconstruction. Outages are frequent.
Luma, the corporate that operates energy transmission and distribution, warned of “widespread service interruptions” earlier Sunday. By the afternoon, your complete island was darkish.
“Present climate situations are extraordinarily harmful and are hindering our capability to guage the whole scenario,” the corporate mentioned. It may take a number of days to totally restore energy, Luma mentioned.
Well being facilities had been operating on turbines, a few of which have failed. Well being Secretary Carlos Mellado mentioned crews had been working to restore turbines on the Complete Most cancers Middle.
Will Fiona instantly impression the mainland US?
The potential for a direct impression on the U.S. mainland has lessened since final week, Accuweather mentioned, however the storm may whip up harmful surf and powerful rip currents alongside the East Coast later this week.
How has the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season gone thus far?
Fiona turned the third hurricane of the Atlantic season when it shaped on Sunday. The season has gotten off to a sluggish begin.
For the primary time in 25 years, no hurricane had shaped by August, and no storm has instantly affected the mainland U.S. The primary hurricane of an Atlantic season usually develops by Aug. 11, in keeping with the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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The season formally started June 1 and runs via Nov. 30. The height of the season is normally round Sept. 17.
Contributing: Doyle Rice, USA TODAY; The Related Press
