09/19/2022

‘Catastrophic’ Damage, Power Outages as Storm Pummels Puerto Rico

Hurricane Fiona dropped more than 27 inches of rain on the region

Puerto Rican Governor Pedro Pierluisi said Monday that Hurricane Fiona has caused “catastrophic” destruction in urban areas, killing at least one person and leaving nearly the entire island archipelago without power.

The slow-moving Category 1 storm could drop upward of 30 inches of rain, the National Hurricane Center said. Intense rain is flooding rivers, triggering landslides and destroying homes, roads and bridges. The governor estimated “billions” in damage and warned that rain is expected to continue falling until Tuesday evening.

Fiona struck two days before the fifth anniversary of Maria, the Category 4 storm that left Puerto Rico in the dark for months, killing more than 3,000 people. The federal government set aside billions for reconstruction, but the sluggish recovery has left the territory’s communities vulnerable.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.