UPDATE: Hurricane Fiona makes landfall along Puerto Rico coast amid island-wide power blackout
The island is bracing for potential flooding amid concerns the storm could damage its power grid which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria.
Fiona was centered 25 miles southwest of Ponce, Puerto Rico, on Sunday morning, and its clouds covered the entire island. It had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and was moving west-northwest at 8 mph .U.S. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in the U.S. territory as the eye of the storm approached the island's southwest corner.
He said the atmosphere was gloomy at the supermarket as he and others stocked up before the storm hit.The storm was forecast to pummel cities and towns along Puerto Rico's southern coast that have not yet fully recovered from a string of strong earthquakes starting in late 2019. In the southwest town of El Combate, hotel co-owner Tomás Rivera said he was prepared but worried about the "enormous" amount of rain he expected. He noted that a nearby wildlife refuge was eerily quiet.
It's a sentiment shared by 70-year-old Ana Córdova, who arrived Saturday at a shelter in the north coastal town of Loiza after buying loads of food and water. Fiona was predicted to drop 12 to 16 inches of rain over eastern and southern Puerto Rico, with as much as 25 inches in isolated spots. Morales noted that Hurricane Maria in 2017 had unleashed 40 inches .
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Talks to restructure Puerto Rico power company debt failMediation talks to restructure more than $9 billion in debt held by Puerto Rico’s power company have failed, raising concerns about the future of the bankrupt government agency
Read more »
Strengthening Tropical Storm Fiona hits Puerto Rico with flooding, power outagesTropical Storm Fiona, on the cusp of hurricane intensity as of this morning, threatens to dump more than two feet of rain in Puerto Rico. The winds are already starting to take out large parts of the island's fragile electricity grid.
Read more »
Hurricane Fiona knocks out power to all of Puerto RicoWinds have gusted over 100 mph while the National Hurricane Center is warning of “catastrophic” flooding
Read more »
Eye of Hurricane Fiona nears battered Puerto Rico amid island-wide power blackoutThe island is bracing for potential flooding amid concerns the storm could damage its power grid, which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria.
Read more »
Entire island of Puerto Rico loses power as Hurricane Fiona approachesJUST IN: The entire island of Puerto Rico has lost power as Hurricane Fiona approaches, officials say.
Read more »
Hurricane Fiona nears Puerto Rico, whole island already without power as ‘historic’ rainfall loomsThe eye of newly formed Hurricane Fiona neared Puerto Rico’s south coast on Sunday, already causing an island-wide power blackout and threatening to dump “historic” levels of rain…
Read more »