Puerto Rico: “Life-threatening flash floods” | tagesschau.de

Hurricane Fiona has completely knocked out power in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. A state of emergency has been declared in the US territory. Now the Dominican Republic is also taking precautions.

Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico, causing flooding across much of the Caribbean island. The U.S. Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida announced this — and has issued a warning for the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

“These rainfall levels will cause life-threatening flash and urban flooding in parts of Puerto Rico and the eastern Dominican Republic, as well as landslides and landslides in more areas,” it said. US President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency along the US border.

Photos on social media showed downed trees, flooding and rescue efforts. Governor Pedro Pierluisi wrote that the state of emergency was not over yet.

140 kmph speed

“I ask people to stay in their homes,” said William Miranda Torres, mayor of Caguas, in the north of the island. At least one major landslide has been reported there. The cyclone also tore down a bridge in the central mountain town of Uduwato. The police said that this happened only after this Hurricane Maria in 2017 Established by the National Guard.

According to the US National Hurricane Center, “Fiona” made landfall about 25 kilometers southeast of the port city of Mayaguez. The storm had a maximum wind speed of 140 kilometers per hour and was moving in a northwesterly direction. Thick clouds hung over the island. The storm was reportedly felt up to 220 kilometers away.

Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic was preparing for “Fiona.” The hurricane strengthened over the Atlantic and upgraded to a hurricane en route to Puerto Rico.

Power outages can last for days

Hurricane “Fiona” led to a complete blackout on the Caribbean island before its arrival. “Power is currently out due to the impact of the hurricane,” Governor Pierluisi said on social media. According to electricity provider Luma Energy, it could take several days for power to be fully restored. Power lines snapped in the wind, causing power outages across the island.

Before the storm, Puerto Rico experienced several power outages, which also led to protests. Unreliable electricity has long been a problem in metropolitan America.

Puerto Rico, an island of just over three million people, is often hit by storms during hurricane season. Hurricane “Maria” in particular had devastating effects in 2017 and claimed around 3,000 lives.. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November.