Since Hurricane Maria devastated the island, Puerto Rico still has not permanently rebuilt its power grid, with many across the island angry at the frequent blackouts and brownouts all over. One resident, Marta Rojas, told NBC News, "We have to become fortune tellers to be able to cook or to do laundry before the power goes out." Some areas on the island face sporadic power outages, even if the weather is just fine. The tornado downing several power lines only adds to the US territory's current electricity crisis, which started when Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, crippling the island's grid. The National Weather Service is still assessing the damage that the Sunday tornado has wrought in Aguada, with personnel now taking a closer look at the destruction this rare Puerto Rico tornado left behind. Rodriguez stated that this latest Puerto Rico tornado may have reached that speed, though National Weather Service experts already arrived in the US territory last Monday to determine its classification. READ NEXT: Puerto Rico: Top 5 Resorts To Visit While in This US Territory That tornado had winds between 86 mph to 110 mph and blew roofs off buildings and downed several trees and power lines. However, a strong one did hit Puerto Rico in May 2022 in the northern coastal town of Arecibo. Those that do not even cause damage because they are usually considered weak, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Emanuel Rodriguez Gonzalez, who recently spoke with the Associated Press. Tornadoes rarely hit the US territory, as only 24, including the one that hit the island last Sunday, have been recorded since 1950. Puerto Rico Tornadoes Are Rare Occurrences However, no injuries have so far been reported. The storm that caused the tornado also reportedly damaged several houses and triggered a landslide. One of these videos was captured by Janely Ivette, who was inside her car when she shot the video that showed large branches piling up on the road. Videos of the wind blowing off trees at a Puerto Rican road surfaced, and so did another video of a funnel cloud forming over a hilltop. However, those short minutes resulted in massive damage. © 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc.Massive winds battered Puerto Rico on Sunday, and it got so strong that a tornado formed over the US territory, causing some massive damage to the island's power lines.Īccording to The Hill, tornadoes are considered rare in Puerto Rico, though a massive one formed over Aguada Sunday afternoon. Videos posted to social media showed high winds lashing the resort location of Punta Cana. Hurricane Fiona was slightly stronger when it slammed into the Dominican Republic but was still a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 90 mph. The Dominican Republic received a direct hit from the deadly storm hours after it made its first landfall along the southwestern coast of Puerto Rico. Photo by MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Arecibo before the hurricane on January 18, 2022. Puerto Rico wasn’t the only Caribbean island to feel the effects of Hurricane Fiona. “People that have saved up water or maybe have water tanks, that’s only set to last them for about the next few days.” “Resources are slowly going to start to wear thin,” Valdes said. On top of the power outages, Valdes reported about 600,000 customers were without running water as of Wednesday. The lack of electricity is making it difficult for residents to find working gas pumps to purchase fuel for their generators, according to Valdes. In addition, Hurricane Fiona overwhelmed Puerto Rico’s power grid and plunged the island’s more than 1.4 million power customers into darkness.Īs of Thursday, most of Puerto Rico remained without power.įOX Weather correspondent Nicole Valdes, who has been in Puerto Rico since Tuesday, said about 80% of the island – more than 1 million customers – is still without power as of Thursday as heat bakes the region. Prescription drug disruptions may arise in Puerto Rico amid Fiona’s damageĭramatic before-and-after photos taken in Puerto Rico show the devastation left behind after deadly Hurricane Fiona lashed the island with high winds and torrential rain this week.Īt least eight people have reportedly been killed across the Caribbean after Hurricane Fiona tore through the region, making two landfalls in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and then moving near the Turks and Caicos Islands on a path toward Bermuda. Bermuda braces for impacts from Hurricane FionaįOX Forecast Center tracking 3 tropical disturbances in the Atlantic for possible development
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