Hurricane Fiona grew more powerful Tuesday as it tore through Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic after lashing them with up to 30 inches of rain, causing flash flooding, mudslides and destruction.
The storm made landfall in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a Category 3 hurricane, blasting the British territory of about 40,000 people with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph. The government imposed a curfew and urged people to flee flood-prone areas as the archipelago braced for a 5- to 8-foot storm surge.
About 80 percent of Puerto Rico remained without power Tuesday, more than 24 hours after the storm shut down the island’s entire power system. Water service was cut to more than 837,000 customers, two-thirds of the island’s total, officials said.
Governor Pedro Pierluisi and power distribution company LUMA Energy both said a “large part” of the island would have electricity back on Wednesday, El Nuevo Día newspaper reported. Pierluisi allowed for the possibility that it could take until the weekend.
The governor also requested a major disaster declaration, which if granted would free up federal funds for public and individual assistance. US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would urge the federal government to cover 100 percent of disaster response costs as part of that declaration, instead of the usual 75 percent.
In the Dominican Republic, more than 1 million people were without running water and 700,000 homes and businesses were without power, the National Emergency Operations Center said.
At least three deaths were reported, two in Puerto Rico and one in the Dominican Republic.
IMAGES:Hurricane Fiona floods homes and streets in Puerto Rico
HOW TO HELP:A Look at Mutual Aid, Nonprofits to Help Puerto Ricans
Developments:
►More rain is forecast during the week in parts of Puerto Rico, and conditions were not expected to improve significantly. “Catastrophic and potentially fatal urban and moderate to major river flooding, as well as mudslides, are likely for southern and eastern Puerto Rico through Tuesday due to Hurricane Fiona’s rains,” warned the National Meteorological Service.
►Thousands of people have been displaced Puerto Rico officials said at least 2,300 people and 250 pets were in shelters across the island.
►In Grand Turk, hurricane conditions were battering the capital of the tiny British territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The government imposed a curfew and urged people to flee flood-prone areas.
►For the continental US, Forecasters say the hurricane is not expected to threaten the United States.
Here’s what we know:
Hurricane Fiona strengthens to a Category 3 storm
Fiona, which strengthened to a Category 3 storm overnight, is expected to intensify over the next few days, the National Weather Service said:
- Centered near Grand Turk Island: Fiona, with sustained winds of 115 mph, was moving north-northwest at 9 mph and was centered about 40 miles north of Grand Turk Island.
- Turks and Caicos: Hurricane conditions over Turks and Caicos were expected to persist for hours. Heavy rain is expected to continue through this afternoon and cause life-threatening flooding, the National Weather Service said.
- In the Bahamas: Tropical storm conditions were expected to extend over parts of the southeastern Bahamas throughout the day.
First figure in the Dominican Republic: 1 dead, 12,000 displaced
More than 1,000 residents of the Dominican Republic were living in shelters Tuesday after Fiona tore through the country. More than 1 million of the country’s nearly 12 million people were without running water and more than 700,000 homes and businesses were without power, the National Emergency Operations Center said.
One death was reported, 12,485 people were displaced, 3,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and four bridges collapsed.
This was said by Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the organization Dominican Today that Isidro Odalis Smith, 68, was crushed by a falling tree in the town of Nagua, in the north of the province of Maria Trinidad Sánchez.
President Luis Abinader pledged to restore drinking water and electricity service to communities “as soon as possible.” He said authorities would need several days to assess the damage.
Officials closed ports and beaches and told most people to stay home and not work. The hurricane left several roads blocked and a tourist pier in the town of Miches was badly damaged by the strong waves. At least four international airports were closed, officials said.
How you can help
Advocates stress the importance of supporting local organizations and grassroots mutual aid groups that provide on-the-ground aid to communities in Puerto Rico. Various organizations provide crucial aid such as solar lights, generators, supplies and food.
To help Puerto Ricans and others in the Caribbean recover, here is one list of some non-profit organizations and mutual aid funds you can support.
More rain for overwhelmed Puerto Rico
The National Weather Service warned of 1 to 4 inches of rain across much of Puerto Rico through Wednesday morning. Storm totals have reached 12 to 20 inches in most areas, but some places have seen as much as 35 inches.
“Urban flooding and additional localized flooding is possible in southern portions of Puerto Rico,” the weather service said.
National Guard Brigade. Gen. Narciso Cruz put the flooding into perspective by comparing it to the large amount of Category 4 water that Hurricane Maria brought five years ago Tuesday.
“There were communities that flooded in the storm that didn’t flood under Maria,” Cruz said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Fiona made landfall as a Category 1 storm late Sunday off the southwest coast of Puerto Rico, then made landfall again early Monday off the east coast of the Dominican Republic.
2,500 affected in the coastal salt pans
In Salinas, a town of about 30,000 people on Puerto Rico’s hard-hit south coast, Mayor Karilyn Bonilla estimated that 2,500 people had their homes flooded. The National Guard led a team of lifeguards in more than 500 water rescues, and Bonilla expressed gratitude for the rescue efforts “that put their own in harm’s way.”
“We had to carry out a titanic operation to rescue people who were in completely flooded areas,” said Bonilla. “Refugees tell us that they have been living in some communities for 60 years and that an event of this magnitude had never happened before.”
Minerva Monge, 70, was rescued with her husband by the National Guard after the water in their home reached their knees.
“What I hope is that everything calms down, the place dries up and we can go back,” he said.
Biden promises more federal aid
“Jill and I are keeping the people of Puerto Rico in our prayers as Hurricane Fiona passes through your beautiful island,” Biden tweeted. “We are here for you and together we will get through this.”
Puerto Rico is still recovering from Hurricane Maria 5 years ago
Fiona hit Puerto Rico nearly five years after Hurricane Maria hit the island on September 20, 2017, with wind speeds of up to 155 mph, just 2 mph short of a Category 5 storm.
Maria caused nearly 3,000 deaths, destroyed the power grid and devastated tens of thousands of homes, about 3,000 of which remain covered by tarps.
Bridge built after Maria was swept away by Fiona
The destruction wrought on the island by Fiona included a temporary bridge in the town of Utuado that was built after Hurricane Maria. The bridge over the Guanica River in the central mountain region was washed away by the waters on Sunday when Fiona made landfall.
US House Delegate Roberto Lefranc Fortuño video posted of the bridge, known as PR-123, collapsing and collapsing. People can be heard screaming amid the clatter of metal as a man stands with his hands to his head in disbelief.
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Contributor: The Associated Press
