UPDATED 10:20 A.M.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) – The powerful storm Fiona has strengthened into a hurricane as it barrels toward Puerto Rico on Sunday, threatening to slam the U.S. territory with life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, according to the National Hurricane Center’s latest update.
The storm, which has already been blamed for one death, was about 80 kilometers south of the city of Ponce with maximum sustained winds near 130 kilometers per hour, clearing the threshold for hurricane strength, the NHC said.
Torrential rains and mudslides were also forecast for the Dominican Republic as the storm progresses northwestward.
“On the forecast track, the center of Fiona will approach Puerto Rico this morning, and move near or over Puerto Rico this afternoon or evening,” the NHC said in an update at 11:00 a.m. (1500 GMT).
U.S. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico on Sunday, a move that authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief operations and provide emergency protective measures.
Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island of 3.3 million people, could be hit by up to 25 inches (63.5 cm) of rain.
“These rains will produce life-threatening flash flooding and urban flooding across Puerto Rico and the eastern Dominican Republic, along with mudslides and landslides in areas of higher terrain,” the NHC said.
Puerto Rico’s grid remains fragile after Hurricane Maria in September 2017 caused the largest blackout in U.S. history. In that category 5 storm, 1.5 million customers lost electricity with 80% of power lines knocked out.
Authorities have opened about 80 shelters and closed beaches and casinos, and residents were urged to seek shelter.
The one death reported so far from Fiona was in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, after heavy rains swept away his house in the Basse-Terre district, authorities said on Saturday.
(Reporting by Ivelisse Rivera in San Juan; additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut; editing by Grant McCool)
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico as Tropical Storm Fiona headed toward the island at near hurricane strength.
The emergency declaration authorizes Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide emergency protective measures, the White House said in a statement.
Fiona was nearing hurricane strength and torrential rains and mudslides were expected across Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the National Hurricane Center said on Sunday.
(Reporting by Chris Gallagher, Editing by William Maclean)
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San Juan, Puerto Rico (Reuters) -Tropical storm Fiona gained strength on Saturday as it headed toward Puerto Rico, prompting the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to issue a hurricane warning and alerts for “life threatening floods and mudslides” for the U.S. territory and watches for the U.S. Virgin Islands.
One man was found dead in the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, after heavy rains from the massive storm swept away his house in the Basse-Terre district, according to local authorities.
The storm was about 75 miles (120 km) southeast of St Croix and about 150 miles (240 km) southeast of Puerto Rico with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph) as of Saturday night, according to NHC. It was expected to become a hurricane on Sunday and into Sunday night, as it moves near Puerto Rico. A storm is considered a Category 1 hurricane when sustained windspeeds reach 74 mph or greater.
The island was braced for up to 20 inches (50 cm) of rain and high winds that could bring flooding, mudslides and power outages.
“Hurricane conditions are expected across portions of Puerto Rico Sunday and Sunday night, and are possible across the U.S. Virgin Islands (Saturday night) and Sunday,” NHC said.
Heavy rains from Fiona were also due to spread to the Dominican Republican on Sunday and to the Turks and Caicos Islands on Monday night.
The government of the Dominican Republic issued a hurricane warning for the east of the country, from Cabo Caucedo to Cabo Frances Viejo, NHC said.
On Saturday, residents in Puerto Rico were bracing for severe power outages as the island’s grid remained fragile after Hurricane Maria in September 2017 caused the largest blackout in U.S. history. In that category 5 storm, 1.5 million customers lost electricity with 80% of power lines knocked out.
Authorities have opened about 80 shelters and closed beaches and casinos, and residents were urged to seek shelter.
Governor Pedro Pierluisi signed a state of emergency on Saturday warning residents, “We should not underestimate this storm in the least. The government is active and prepared to respond to the emergency.”
He added, “We expect that during the night, the winds and rain will intensify,” and “we all want the (electric) service to improve, but now what is important is the response, that we are prepared.”
Abner Gomez, a spokesman for LUMA Energy, operator of the island’s power grid, said the storm will cause outages, “But we will be ready to respond.”
“The same thing that happened during Maria is not going to happen here,” Gomez said.
(Reporting by Ivelisse Rivera in San Juan, David Morgan in Washington and Rich McKay in Atlanta; Additional reporting by Anirudh Saligrama in Bengaluru; Editing by Franklin Paul, David Gregorio and William Mallard)
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