In the Caribbean, Hurricane Fiona made landfall on the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. According to the National Hurricane Center, this was accompanied by winds of 140 kilometers per hour. The US hurricane center fears Fiona could lead to “catastrophic flooding”.

Strong winds and rain completely shut down Puerto Rico’s power grid today. According to the company responsible for the power supply, the current weather conditions are “extremely dangerous”. The company anticipates that it may take days before the electricity is delivered On the island, which is home to more than 3 million people, she made a full recovery.

Because of the hurricane, Puerto Rico’s ports were closed as a precaution. All flights to and from the international airport in the capital, San Juan, have also been cancelled. In addition to flooding, authorities are expecting landslides and mudslides, as well as “historic” amounts of rain. More than 60 cm of rain can fall in remote areas.

The President of the United States, Biden, in which Puerto Rico is considered an “unincorporated territory”, declared a state of emergency. This allows local authorities to quickly take emergency measures.

In addition to Puerto Rico, Fiona is also expected to visit neighboring Dominican Republic. The hurricane will likely make landfall there tomorrow, and then continue through northern Haiti, among other things. Fiona actually killed someone on Saturday: A man was found dead on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe after his home was swept away by a flood.

Five years ago, Puerto Rico was hit by a severe hurricane. Maria, which crossed the island on September 20, 2017, was the strongest storm there in more than 90 years. Authorities say a total of about 3,000 were killed, including in the months following the hurricane.

Many parts of the island have not recovered from the damage caused by Maria. For example, the electricity supply in Puerto Rico, which was almost completely destroyed at the time, is still vulnerable.