The storm previously battered several eastern Caribbean islands, while one death was reported in the French territory of Guadeloupe. Regional prefect Alexandre Rochatte told reporters on Saturday that the body was found on the side of a road after floods washed away a house in the capital Basse-Terre. More than 20 other people were rescued amid strong winds and rain that left 13,000 customers without power. Fiona was located 130 miles (210 km) southeast of St. Croix on Saturday morning with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). It was moving west at 8 mph (13 kph) on a path that is forecast to pass near or over Puerto Rico on Sunday night. Fiona was expected to become a hurricane while moving near Puerto Rico. “We are already beginning to feel its effects,” said Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluigi. “We must not underestimate this storm.” He said the heavy rains expected are dangerous because the island’s soil is already saturated. Meanwhile, many Puerto Ricans have been worried about severe power outages since reconstruction of the island’s power grid that was destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 only recently began. The grid remains fragile and blackouts occur daily. Fiona is expected to pass the Dominican Republic on Sunday as a potential hurricane and Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands on Monday and Tuesday with the threat of extreme rainfall. Forecasters have issued a hurricane watch for the US Virgin Islands, as well as the southern coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engaño west to Cabo Caucedo and the northern coast from Cabo Engaño west to Puerto Plata. In Puerto Rico, authorities opened shelters and closed public beaches, casinos, theaters and museums as they urged people to stay indoors. Officials also moved hundreds of endangered parrots from Puerto Rico to their sanctuary. “It’s time to activate your emergency plan and reach out and help your relatives, especially the elderly who live alone,” said Dr. Gloria Amador, who runs a nonprofit health organization in central Puerto Rico. Pierluigi said $550 million in emergency funds are available to deal with the aftermath of the storm along with enough food to feed 200,000 people three times a day for 20 days. At least one cruise ship visit and several flights to the island were cancelled, while authorities in the eastern Caribbean islands canceled school and banned people from water sports as Fiona battered the region. On the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, authorities said they recorded wind gusts of up to 120 km/h, which would be considered a Category 1 hurricane. They also said 9 inches (23 cm) of rain fell in three hours in the Gros Morne area. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lester in the eastern Pacific was on a forecast track that could make landfall near the Acapulco region on Mexico’s southwest coast Saturday night.
