The center of the storm made landfall on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico near Punta Tocon at 3:20 p.m. ET (1920 GMT) with maximum sustained winds of about 85 miles (140 kilometers) per hour, clearing the threshold for a Category 1 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said. The NHC said the storm caused “catastrophic flooding” through early Sunday morning. A man surveys his seaside neighborhood as Hurricane Fiona and its heavy rains approach in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, September 18, 2022. (REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo) Power initially went out completely across the island of 3.3 million people, LUMA Energy, the island’s grid operator, and Puerto Rico’s electricity authority said Sunday afternoon. That evening officials said some power had begun to be restored, but it would take several days to reconnect the entire island. At a press conference in the capital San Juan on Sunday night, LUMA spokesman Abner Gomez said the entire electrical system had first been shut down to protect its infrastructure. Some power is being restored with priority to hospitals and other critical community services, he said. “It was devastating,” Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi said at the news conference. “We are dealing with the emergency as weather permits.” Several landslides have been reported, officials said. Roads were closed and a highway bridge in Utuado, a town in the center of the island, was swept away by a flooded river. Puerto Rico’s ports are closed and flights from the main airport are canceled. Torrential rain and mudslides were also forecast for the Dominican Republic as the storm moves northwest, with the Turks and Caicos Islands likely to experience tropical storm conditions on Tuesday, the NHC said. “These rains will cause life-threatening and destructive flash and urban flooding across Puerto Rico and the eastern Dominican Republic,” the agency said. US President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico on Sunday, a move that authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief and provide emergency protective measures. US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said agency officials deployed to Puerto Rico would assist in recovery efforts “as soon as it is safe to do so.” State Social Plan workers prepare food rations in preparation for Hurricane Fiona, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, September 18, 2022. (REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas) The rains have increased in intensity since Sunday morning, along with strong winds, residents said. Denise Rios, who lives in the southwestern city of Hormigueros, said she was left without power after a strong gust of wind and rain began around noon. “It hasn’t stopped since,” he said. “It’s raining hard and the wind is blowing hard. I’m calm, but alert.” A wide area of Puerto Rico was forecast to receive 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) of rain while parts could get hit with up to 25 inches (63.5 cm), according to the NHC. An ambulance drives through a wet rural road as Hurricane Fiona approaches and heavy rains hit Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, September 18, 2022. (REUTERS/Ricardo Arduengo) Puerto Rico’s grid remains fragile after Hurricane Maria in September 2017 caused the largest blackout in US history. In that Category 5 storm, 1.5 million customers lost power with 80% of power lines down. Authorities have opened more than 100 shelters and closed beaches and casinos, and residents have been told to seek shelter. One death linked to Fiona has been reported so far, on the island of Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean. Authorities said a man was found dead Saturday after his home was swept away by floodwaters. France will recognize a state of natural disaster for Guadeloupe, President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter on Sunday. (Reporting by Ivelisse Rivera in San Juan; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne in Wilton, Connecticut and Tim Reid in Los Angeles; Editing by Grant McCool, Lisa Shumaker, Daniel Wallis and Richard Chang)
