Hurricane Fiona Puerto Rico

Hurricane Fiona strengthened overnight to a Category 3 storm as it barreled towards the Turks and Caicos Islands after hammering Puerto Rico and the ...

Meanwhile, a 70-year-old man from the town of Arecibo died from fire-related injuries after a generator he was using exploded. He further said he expected support to increase substantially over the coming days. “Storms are unpredictable,” Turks and Caicos Premier Washington Misick warned in a statement on Monday from London, where he was attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Nearly 3,000 deaths were connected with the storm. and remain indoors. [Hurricane Fiona](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tropical-storm-fiona-upgraded-hurricane-puerto-rico-braces-arrival-rcna48232) strengthened overnight to a Category 3 storm as it barreled towards the Turks and Caicos Islands after [hammering Puerto Rico](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/puerto-rico-reels-fiona-13m-power-deluge-flash-floods-rcna48309) and the [Dominican Republic.](https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/hurricane-fiona-aims-for-dominican-republic-after-leaving-puerto-rico-with-high-floodwaters-blackouts-148778565940)

Governor Pedro Pierluisi said Puerto Rico had suffered "catastrophic" damage from Hurricane Fiona, with heavy rains expected to continue through tomorrow.

Authorities reported no deaths directly from Fiona, but Puerto Rico officials said it was too early to know the full scope of damage. The storm was still expected to unleash torrential rain across the U.S. Fiona was centered about 10 miles (15 kilometers) southeast of Samana in the Dominican Republic, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph) on Monday morning, according to the U.S. The storm also took out a bridge and flooded an airport runway. It was moving to the northwest at 8 mph (13 kph). Pierluisi said the U.S.

Hurricane Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico on Sunday as a Category 1 storm, knocking out power and bringing floods. Follow our live updates and hurricane ...

more frequently in recent years](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/09/29/record-us-hurricane-landfalls-climate/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_7). And last summer alone, [nearly 1 in 3 Americans experienced a weather disaster](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/09/04/climate-disaster-hurricane-ida/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_8). [seven safety tips to make sure you’re ready](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/03/hurricane-safety-prepare-noaa/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_4). [an above-average season of hurricane activity](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/24/noaa-atlantic-hurricane-outlook-2022/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_1). Read more about [how climate change is fueling severe weather events](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/10/22/climate-curious-disasters-climate-change/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_9) history](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/harvard-study-estimates-thousands-died-in-puerto-rico-due-to-hurricane-maria/2018/05/29/1a82503a-6070-11e8-a4a4-c070ef53f315_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_5), Hurricane Maria, which left Puerto Rico in the [dark for months](https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/national/puerto-rico-life-without-power/?itid=lk_inline_manual_5) and killed more than 3,000 people.

Hurricane Fiona strikes the Dominican Republic, leaving historic rainfall, flooding and an island-wide power outage behind in Puerto Rico. Updates.

At landfall in Puerto Rico Sunday, Fiona was a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. Fiona was centered 10 miles southeast of Samana, Dominican Republic, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph by midday Monday, according to the U.S. “Puerto Ricans have faced a constant state of emergency over the five last years," said Allison Dworschak, leader of the agency's Caribbean Resilience Initiative. Hundreds of water rescues were underway and widespread evacuations were ordered in the U.S. Ada Vivian Román said the storm knocked down trees and fences in her hometown of Toa Alta. It was moving to the northwest at 8 mph. Mercy Corps says it has been helping people on the island better prepare for disasters by transforming local community centers into "resilience hubs" with different combinations of solar energy, potable water storage, communication systems, emergency kits and disaster preparedness training. The first signs of recovery were beginning to emerge, however. Hours of rain were still to come. The National Weather Service in San Juan urged residents to move to higher ground "immediately." The entire power grid went down on Sunday, putting all 1.5 million power customers in the dark. Roads were torn apart, and in the central town of Utuado, a bridge installed by the National Guard after Maria washed away.

Hurricane Fiona was churning north on Monday night after bringing torrential rain and powerful winds to the Dominican Republic and a total power outage in ...

Crews rescued about 400 people from flooding in the southern town of Salinas, where rain slowed to a drizzle. Nearly 90% of Puerto Rico remained without power on Monday, according to Poweroutage.us. Just 30% of drinking water customers have service. Downed trees and mudslides blocked many roads. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com On Tuesday, the center of Fiona is expected to pass near the archipelago, where a hurricane warning has been declared, the NHC said, with tropical storm conditions also expected in the Bahamas.

At least three deaths were reported, two in Puerto Rico and one in the Dominican Republic. More rain was forecast through the week and conditions were not ...

"Jill and I are keeping the people of Puerto Rico in our prayers as Hurricane Fiona passes over your beautiful island," Biden tweeted. The hurricane left several highways blocked, and a tourist pier in the town of Miches was badly damaged by high waves. [Puerto Rico is still recovering from Hurricane Maria 5 years ago] [Fiona slammed Puerto Rico almost five years to the day after Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm with wind speeds exceeding 170 mph, slammed across the island.] [Maria's death toll reached nearly 3,000 people, destroyed the power grid and devastated tens pf thousands of homes – thousands of which remain covered by tarps.] [Bridge built after Maria swept away by Fiona] [The destruction wrought across the island included a bridge in the Puerto Rican city of Utuado that was built following Hurricane Maria. [Biden promises more federal aid] [AccuWeather](https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/hurricane-fiona-devastates-puerto-rico-with-heavy-rain-flooding-and-mudslides/1249326) estimated the economic impact on the island from Fiona to be about $10 billion. "After finishing the response phase, we start with recovery work and support for the victims." Heavy rains there will continue through this afternoon with continued life-threatening flooding, the weather service said.] [Tropical storm conditions should be spreading over portions of the southeastern Bahamas through the day.] [More rain for overwhelmed Puerto Rico] [The weather service warned that another 1 to 4 inches of rain will fall over much of Puerto Rico into Wednesday morning.

Fiona is pounding the Dominican Republic after thrashing Puerto Rico with torrential rain, catastrophic flooding and an islandwide power outage.

And all of the planning efforts we undertake during those blue skies days can be brought to bear when the rain falls." Eastern parts of the Dominican Republic could also see flooding, mudslides or landslides, the hurricane center said. The complex is the island's most important and stretches across 227 acres, according to the Health Administration of Puerto Rico. , carrying its structure downstream, one video of the dangerous flooding shows. And southern Puerto Rico can expect another 4 to 6 inches of rain or more early this week -- meaning Fiona will leave the island deluged with 12 to 30 inches of rain, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said. This time, she said, FEMA plans to implement lessons learned from the 2017 crisis. "Our patients are safe and receiving the medical care they need." "We were much more prepared. Samuel Rivera and his mother Lourdes Rodriguez lived without power for about a year after Maria, Rivera told CNN's Layla Santiago. By late Monday morning, a bit of good news from island's capital: The power system came back up for hospitals in San Juan's medical complex, Puerto Rico Health Secretary Dr. Fiona could dump 12 inches of rain in eastern and northern parts of the country. . That would make Fiona the first major hurricane of the year in the Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center said.

Much of island is in the dark and underwater while the Fema boss will survey the damage today.

Much of Puerto Rico is in the dark and underwater following a lashing by Hurricane Fiona as it tore through the Caribbean. And that’s to say nothing of the GOP’s willingness to find compromises with the White House on legislation, particularly if Republicans take control of the House, which they are seen as having a good chance of doing. And then he said under his breath, ‘The things we do for the orange Jesus’. Here’s what Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic congresswoman who’s been an advocate for the island, told Latino Rebels: If the chamber came into the GOP’s hands, all bets would be off on Biden being able to get any appointees confirmed, particularly if another vacancy opens up on the high court. The report contained few details on why the Kentucky senator felt that way, but if he’s right, Joe Biden will face an even more complicated two years than expected.

Hurricane Fiona is moving northward Tuesday after making landfall in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Follow our live updates and hurricane path ...

more frequently in recent years](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/09/29/record-us-hurricane-landfalls-climate/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_7). And last summer alone, [nearly 1 in 3 Americans experienced a weather disaster](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/09/04/climate-disaster-hurricane-ida/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_8). [seven safety tips to make sure you’re ready](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/03/hurricane-safety-prepare-noaa/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_4). Read more about [how climate change is fueling severe weather events](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/10/22/climate-curious-disasters-climate-change/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_9) [an above-average season of hurricane activity](https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/05/24/noaa-atlantic-hurricane-outlook-2022/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_1). Here’s some other guidance about [keeping your phone charged and useful in dangerous weather](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/31/tips-phone-disasters/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_5), and [what to know about flood insurance](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/06/22/how-decide-if-flood-insurance-is-necessary-your-home/?itid=lb_more-on-hurricanes_6).

As Hurricane Fiona leaves Puerto Rico flooded and without power, these organizations and nonprofits can use your help to help others.

[They're accepting monetary donations](https://donate.wck.org/give/429706/#!/donation/checkout). [local news organization](https://offers.usatodaynetwork.com/network-regional-florida). Learn more about [aiding relief in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic here](https://projecthope.org/fiona). [Puerto Rico VOAD](https://www.prvoad.org) is part of a network of more than 2,600 locally-based organizations and local representatives of national organizations that respond to communities affected by disasters. [They are taking monetary donations](https://www.directrelief.org/emergency/hurricane-fiona/). [Taller Salud](https://en.tallersalud.com/) is accepting donations of nonperishable food items such as pasta sauce, disposable containers, gallons of water, toiletries, solar lanterns, water filters, adult and baby diapers, gallons of water and more. [The Hispanic Foundation](https://www.hispanicfederation.org/) has already sent volunteers to help provide emergency relief services and essential supplies. [Global Giving](https://www.globalgiving.org/) is a nonprofit that connects other nonprofits to donors. The following organizations are taking donations of money and emergency supplies to help right away (check back, the list will be updated). [Brigada Solidaria del Oeste](https://www.bsopr.com/) is asking for emergency essentials such as first-aid kits, water-purification tablets, water filters, and solar lamps. This disaster isn't going away soon, there will be plenty of help needed in the weeks and months and possibly years to come. There are disaster response teams and trusted organizations doing that and random volunteers, while appreciated in theory, do not have the safety or medical training to help in disaster recovery and might take up resources needed for locals.

After 'catastrophic' flooding in Puerto Rico, the storm was lingering over the Dominican and expected to reach Turks and Caicos.

[Pet-friendly additions](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2021/11/09/airbnb-pet-allowed/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_30) [Mexico shooting](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/01/27/playa-del-carmen-manager-shot/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_26) [Australia reopens](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/02/22/australia-reopen-borders/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_24) Disney](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/04/22/florida-disney-reedy-creek-desantis/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_18) [Disney prices](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/03/07/disney-world-disneyland-ticket-prices-fees/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_23) [Disney boycott](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/04/18/disney-boycott-theme-parks-lgbtq/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_19) [Texas, Florida travel ban](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/04/08/la-ban-travel-florida-texas/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_20) [CDC travel advisories](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/04/18/cdc-travel-warning-high-risk/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_5) [Wheelchair damage](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2021/06/07/wheelchair-scooter-damage-airplane-flights/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_17) [Disruptive behavior](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2021/06/11/flights-mask-incidents-faa-fines/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_16) [Entry test rules](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/04/12/us-travel-testing-requirement-covid/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_3) [Mask advice](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/04/19/mask-plane-covid-health-experts/?itid=lb_more-travel-news_1)

Authorities reported two deaths from the hurricane — a Puerto Rican man who was swept away by a flooded river and a person in the Dominican Republic who was hit ...

It was on a path to pass close to the Turks and Caicos islands on Tuesday and was not expected to threaten the U.S. Meanwhile in the Dominican Republic, authorities closed ports and beaches and told most people to stay home from work. Forecasts called for the storm to grow into a major hurricane of Category 3 or greater. territory that is home to 3.2 million people. Five years later, more than 3,000 homes on the island are still covered by blue tarps. Authorities reported two deaths from the hurricane — a Puerto Rican man who was swept away by a flooded river and a person in the Dominican Republic who was hit by a falling tree.

Days before the anniversary of Hurricane Maria, a Category 1 hurricane ravaged Puerto Rico on Sunday, causing catastrophic flooding, landslides, ...

The [ organization](https://www.bsopr.com/) is collecting monetary donations as well. [Comedores Sociales de Puerto Rico](https://www.comedoressocialespr.org/aportar) is a community kitchen with programs fighting food insecurity on the island. So far, Fiona has caused at least one reported [death](https://www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/uncategorized/one-death-reported-in-guadeloupe-following-passage-of-tropical-storm-fiona/) in Guadeloupe, [two deaths](https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/19/weather/hurricane-tropical-storm-fiona-monday/index.html) in Puerto Rico, and one in the Dominican Republic, where it [made landfall](https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/hurricane-fiona-news-09-19-22/index.html) Monday morning; the true toll may take longer to confirm. [blackouts](https://poweroutage.us/area/state/puerto%20rico), the [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/19/us/puerto-rico-power-hurricane-fiona.html) reports. Puerto Rico’s government has set up a [website](https://www.preps.pr.gov/) providing residents with updates and resources. The group is also accepting cash donations via PayPal and some disaster-relief essentials including water filters and solar lanterns. In response to Fiona’s compounding damage, President Joe Biden has approved Puerto Rico’s [emergency declaration](https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20220918/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-emergency-declaration-puerto-rico-0) to channel federal resources into local disaster-relief efforts. Per [AP News](https://apnews.com/article/floods-storms-hurricanes-puerto-rico-tropical-01028dac6655ddb5b321f345cf9e9358), the rising waters have submerged cars, the first floors of houses, and an airport runway, while a recently-constructed bridge in the town of Utuado was washed away, and asphalt has been ripped from roads. [Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/19/us/puerto-rico-power-hurricane-fiona.html), conditions remain too dangerous for officials to fully evaluate the scope of Fiona’s damage. The Dominican Republic has declared a state of emergency in eight provinces with almost 800 [residents evacuated](https://apnews.com/article/floods-storms-hurricanes-weather-dominican-republic-b0932ff0e3c40627e81ffad4d4d5d0dd) to safer locations and more than 700 others relocated to shelters. [Hurricane Maria,](https://www.npr.org/2022/09/18/1123690268/puerto-rico-hurricane-fiona) the Category 4 hurricane that struck the island in 2017, wrecking its power-grid system and killing almost 3,000 people. [Luma](https://lumapr.com/?lang=en), a private consortium that tracks the island’s electrical-transmission-and-distribution system, says it has delivered power back to approximately 100,000 residents overnight but warns that total restoration could take days because of the “incredibly challenging” conditions repair workers are operating under.

Five years after Maria struck Puerto Rico, even a Category 1 hurricane like Fiona can be devastating.

It would also help to make the island’s power grid “smarter” and capable of automatically sensing where, exactly, a break has occurred. “We need policies in place to ensure transparency and accountability,” Tormos-Aponte said. And at the end of the day, the grid couldn’t withstand a relatively weak hurricane even five years after Maria. On the bright side, there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit. “This is a good example of how you don’t always need a Hurricane Maria in order to cause major impacts.” “It is the recipe for disaster,” she said. The bridge was built after Hurricane Maria as a temporary structure, Pérez-Lugo said, and it was never updated and made permanent. The most intense region of rainfall was in the eastern part of the storm, which is the exact part that passed over the island, said Paul Miller, an assistant professor of oceanography and coastal sciences at Louisiana State University. “It’s structured in a vulnerable way,” she added. [Category 1 storm](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php) has maximum sustained winds of between 74 and 95 miles per hour, the lowest of any hurricane). “In Puerto Rico, everything was on its knees.” [life-threatening and catastrophic flooding](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT2+shtml/191459.shtml?)” after [Hurricane Fiona](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at2.shtml?start#contents) made landfall on the island this weekend as a Category 1 storm.

Ricky Martin, Zoe Saldaña, and star chef José Andrés are showing up for the country as it endures another island-wide blackout, five years after Hurricane Maria ...

[Donald Trump was vehemently criticized for failing to distribute ](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-defends-throwing-paper-towels-hurricane-survivors-puerto-rico-n808861)disaster aid to the country, which would have allowed for speedier and more meaningful repairs. I offer my condolences to the Brits and all who loved her, But can I please get some news and footage of the effects of Fiona in Puerto Rico?” Ana Navarro, a “For those who need reminding, they are American citizens in distress.” That same day, [President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Puerto Rico](https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/09/18/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-puerto-rico-emergency-declaration/), ordering federal assistance to supplement response efforts. “Thanks to the people and this blessed island that in times of misfortune unite as a people.” Pedro Pierluisi confirmed on Twitter](https://twitter.com/GovPierluisi/status/1571555696650653698?s=20&t=TvQ6wdWman9dGcmZmZP5gQ) that the island’s electrical system was out of service. He also touched on how the recent crisis comes as the island continues to recover from Hurricane Maria, which pummeled Puerto Rico five years ago. We are sample and example of a strong and resilient people.” “Almost exactly 5 yrs after Hurricane Maria devastated PR, Hurricane Fiona has hit, knocking out power for all. “ territory](https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis/puerto-rico-lacked-disaster-planning-communications-strategy-hurricane-study-found-n904866) in a century. My prayers are with you,” singer

The hurricane winds that knocked out power to the entire island of Puerto Rico over the weekend encountered an electrical grid that experts liken to a house ...

“But we are committed to transforming the electric system in Puerto Rico. The public utility, which still controls power generation in Puerto Rico, is in bankruptcy and helped drive the U.S. The towers stand atop steep hillsides, looking over ravines, and continue to the populous north to where most of the energy is consumed. After Fiona, winds knocked out power to at least four of the island’s major transmission lines. One of the major vulnerabilities of Puerto Rico’s electrical system is the cross-country transmission system. Luma spokesman Hugo Sorrentini said the company’s crews have been hampered by extensive flooding across the island but that some 1,500 utility workers are “ready to respond” to the outages. Puerto Rico’s fragile power grid has been at the center of recriminations from protesters, customers and utility union members who have called on Pierluisi to cancel the government’s contract with Luma Energy. The U.S.-Canadian power consortium has struggled more than a year after taking over operations of Puerto Rico’s transmission and distribution lines with public perception, frequent brownouts and at least one total blackout. Luma Energy officials on Monday said power has been restored to just more than 100,000 people by Monday afternoon, including in the San Juan metropolitan area, at the city’s main hospital campus and the island’s largest airport, but the company had yet to offer a detailed assessment of the damage. The storm’s outer bands continue to drop copious amounts of rain and threaten to swell waterways already breaching their banks and causing landslides in the mountains. And a major plan to modernize the island’s electricity system, funded with billions from the U.S. Luma Energy, the private consortium that was hired in 2020 to handle transmission, has failed to satisfy critics, as power outages have increased in duration this year even apart from destructive storms, according to a report [last month ](https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-pedro-pierluisi-quanta-services-inc-climate-and-environment-5049018d7ae13c5fe09a6b054c2d177d)by the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau.

The U.S. response to Maria was widely seen as wholly inadequate. As the island marks the anniversary of the Category 4 storm, the destruction caused by ...

[tangled with the territory's officials](https://time.com/4963903/donald-trump-puerto-rican-leaders-want-everything-to-be-done-for-them/), [denied that thousands died](https://www.npr.org/2018/09/13/647377915/trump-denies-death-toll-in-puerto-rico-falsely-claims-done-by-the-democrats) from the storm and insisted the federal response was ["incredibly successful." It's admittedly a long way off, but the island has undertaken a plan to switch to 100% renewable energy by 2050. "Look at Hurricane Sandy," Ferreira says. "Almost every week, [we'd hear] X number of millions of dollars for this, X number of millions of dollars for that. FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell also traveled to the island to meet with officials, she says. While some see progress in the response to Fiona, others say there is still a long way to go. "Then you had the permanent work. "And we also have triple the generation support, the temporary power support." And there had been a lot done to harden transmission lines, but it wasn't complete." Even so, with Fiona, "you've already seen bridges are being washed away that had been rebuilt after Maria," he says. The island's governor, Pedro Pierluisi, has described the outages, massive flooding and landslides there as "catastrophic." territory is again facing the aftermath of a

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Today, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will travel to Puerto Rico to assess the devastation caused by Hurricane Fiona and ...

“The amount of rain Puerto Rico received has been extraordinary, approximately 25 inches, but according to the National Weather Service, that number could rise to as much as 35,” governor Pierluisi added. FEMA’s support of the Government of Puerto Rico has been ongoing. “Our partnership with the Government of Puerto Rico has never been stronger and we remain committed to helping them respond to and recover from Hurricane Fiona,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

In its devastating path of destruction, Hurricane Fiona has killed at least five people across the Caribbean, cut power and water service for most of Puerto ...

At least 519 people were taking refuge in the country’s 29 shelters Monday, he said. José Reyes, adjutant general of the Puerto Rico National Guard. Its heavy rains could deliver “life-threatening flooding” through the afternoon in parts of the British territory of about 38,000 people, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center [said](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT2+shtml/201754.shtml). More than 1,200 people were staying in about 70 shelters on the island Tuesday, Pierluisi said. lost everything in their houses because of the flooding,” Gonzalez told CNN on Monday. It could be a Category 4 storm – with sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph – by late Wednesday over the Atlantic. Over the weekend, Fiona might make landfall in eastern Canada as a hurricane. There was also one death reported in the French territory of Guadeloupe, which Fiona hit late last week, and two in Puerto Rico. Rushing waters wiped away a bridge, carrying its structure downstream, one [video](https://www.cnn.com/videos/weather/2022/09/18/hurricane-fiona-puerto-rico-vpx.cnn) shows. [Category 3](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php) storm with sustained winds of 115 mph, was battering the Turks and Caicos while centered about 40 miles off Grand Turk Island around 2 p.m. In Puerto Rico, 58-year-old Gilberto Ayala Aponte was swept away by a swollen river behind his home in Comerío. She was taken to a hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

In Puerto Rico, residents grimly assessed Hurricane Fiona's devastation, with widespread flooding and blackouts, exactly five years after Hurricane Maria.

Four deaths have been reported in the wake of Hurricane Fiona. Two men died in the aftermath of the hurricane: One was dragged by currents of an overflown river, and the other had a deadly accident with a generator. Fiona's historic rainfall caused water levels to rise in areas that have never flooded. territory in 100 years](https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis/puerto-rico-lacked-disaster-planning-communications-strategy-hurricane-study-found-n904866). The persisting rains have resulted in landslides, destroying roads and leaving dozens of families stranded across many different towns, including Juncos, Bayamón, Coamo, Toa Alta and Caguas, among others. [including Abuela Paulina's](https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis/anniversary-hurricane-maria-puerto-ricans-mourn-look-back-n910276), were caused by [the lack of electricity](https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis/hurricane-maria-death-toll-puerto-rico-thousands-higher-official-count-n878186) of more than a year and the ensuing interruptions in medical and other services. "This is a tough feeling." This was the case in the southern town of Salinas, which is among the most affected regions. A Luma Energy spokesperson said in a news conference Tuesday that they hope to energize most of Puerto Rico by end of day Wednesday. [300,000 customers had their electricity restored](https://twitter.com/lumaenergypr/status/1572260573244686337?s=20&t=0ziUFc0ohDm2bceohvr7bg), which represents roughly 20% of all customers, according to Luma Energy, the company in charge of power transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico. [stricken by grief in 2017](https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis/anniversary-hurricane-maria-puerto-ricans-mourn-look-back-n910276) when her husband’s 94-year-old grandmother, Abuela Paulina, was one of the [at least 2,975 people](https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis/hurricane-maria-death-toll-puerto-rico-may-be-closer-2-n904426) who died in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the [deadliest natural disaster in U.S. Up to 29 inches of rain have fallen in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Fiona, overflowing rivers and small streams.

The storm moved west into the Dominican Republic, as conditions in Puerto Rico remained too dangerous for repair workers early Monday.

Hurricane Maria had a deep, lasting impact on Puerto Rico, with unreliable electricity remaining a mainstay of life on the island. That storm caused the deaths of The rain will be heavy enough to produce what the National Weather Service called “life-threatening and catastrophic flooding” along with mudslides and landslides across Puerto Rico on Monday. Several large landslides were reported, and a bridge washed away in the central town of Utuado. But “we are still expecting flash flooding at least for the rest of the day today, and that might be extended for the next day,” she said. But it was immediately clear that the island would have a difficult recovery process, with as much as 30 inches of rain in some places.

Hurricane Fiona, a category three storm, has devastated Puerto Rico on the fifth anniversary of Hurricanes Maria and Irma. Here's how to help.

[Many areas](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-anniversary-power-grid-rcna47729) of Puerto Rico are still fragile from Irma and Maria—nearly [3,000 residences](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/puerto-rico-suffers-catastrophic-damage-from-hurricane-fiona-governor-says) only have partial repairs completed on their homes, making them much more susceptible to flooding from the heavy rainfalls. and is already on the ground in Puerto Rico. [struck by both](https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-106211) category 5 Hurricane Irma and category 4 Hurricane Maria. The Pedro Pierluisi [told CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/19/weather/hurricane-tropical-storm-fiona-monday). [awarded over $32 billion](https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-106211) in funding for recovery projects for the 2017 storms. Brigada Solidaria del Oeste (BSO) is a Puerto Rican mutual-aid group that works with allied organizations to provide emergency essentials like first-aid kits for residents impacted by Hurricane Fiona. [more two-thirds of the island](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/puerto-rico-suffers-catastrophic-damage-from-hurricane-fiona-governor-says). PRxPR Relief and Rebuild fund launched five years ago when Hurricanes Maria and Irma hit Puerto Rico. The total amount of damage to the island is still unclear. The nonprofit works to provide aid to Latino communities across the U.S. [told CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/19/weather/hurricane-tropical-storm-fiona-monday).