NEW YORK — Hurricane Fiona has strengthened to a Category 2 storm after leaving the entire island of Puerto Rico without power.
The storm system is currently carrying sustained winds of 110 mph as it moves northwest at 10 mph. The hurricane is gaining strength as it heads toward Turks and Caicos and could even escalate to a Category 3 by the time it hits in less than 24 hours.
The Arecibo resident was attempting to fill his generator with gasoline while it was on, causing an ignition, officials said. The governor said Monday the goal is for"a large number of LUMA customers" to have power"in a matter of days." However, LUMA said in a statement Sunday that"full power restoration could take several days."Only 34% of households on the island have potable water after rivers grew and heavy rainfall impacted the system -- meaning more than 834,000 people are without drinking water, the governor said Monday.
A bridge near Utuado, a town in the central mountainous region of the island, has collapsed, cutting off the communities of Salto Arriba and Guaonico, local newspaper El Vocero de Puerto Rico reported. Prior to landfall, Pierluisi said Puerto Rico was prepared as it could be, with enough resources and manpower in place to respond -- adding that the island learned its lessons from the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria in September 2017.After passing through the Caribbean, the storm system will head northward, passing just east of Turks and Caicos before tracking near Bermuda, forecasts show.
By mid-week, Fiona is forecast to become the first major hurricane of 2022 Atlantic season, with winds of up to 125 mph. Biden's decision has the"purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in all 78 municipalities in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico," the White House said in a statement.
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