Danica Coto Associated Press
HAVANA — Tropical Storm Fiona is expected to turn into a hurricane as it approaches Puerto Rico on Saturday, bringing up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain as people prepare for potential landslides, severe flooding and power outages. I was afraid.
The storm has previously hit various islands in the eastern Caribbean, with one death reported in French Guadeloupe. The governor of the region, Alexandre Rochat, told reporters on Saturday that a body had been found by the side of the road after floodwaters washed away homes in the capital Basseterre. Strong winds and heavy rain knocked out power to 13,000 customers, but more than 20 people were rescued.
Fiona is located 90 miles south-southeast of St. Croix and had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph) Saturday afternoon. It was traveling west at 8 mph on a path predicted to pass near or over Puerto Rico on Sunday night. Fiona was expected to become a hurricane while traveling near Puerto Rico.
“We are already starting to feel the impact,” said Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi. “Don’t underestimate this storm.”
He said the expected heavy rains were dangerous because the soil on the island was already saturated. I’m worried about serious power outages because it’s just started. The grid remains fragile, with daily blackouts and about 80,000 customers already in the dark on Saturday.
Fiona is expected to pass through the Dominican Republic as a potential hurricane on Sunday and through Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands on Monday and Tuesday with heavy rain threats.
Forecaster has released Hurricane Watch for the US Virgin Islands, the southern coast of the Dominican Republic, from Cabo Engaño to Cabo Caucedo on the west, and from Cabo Engaño to Puerto Plata on the north coast.
In Puerto Rico, authorities have opened shelters, closed public beaches, casinos, theaters and museums, and urged people to stay indoors. Authorities have also transferred hundreds of endangered Puerto Rican parrots to a shelter.
“It’s time to activate emergency plans and reach out to relatives, especially older adults who live alone, to help,” said Dr. Gloria Amador, who runs a nonprofit health organization in central Puerto Rico.
Pierluisi said there is a $550 million emergency fund to deal with the aftermath of the storm, and 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 islands have been canceled, while authorities in the Eastern Caribbean islands have canceled schools and prevented people from practicing water sports as Fiona hit the area. has been prohibited.
On the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, authorities have announced gusts of up to 74 mph. This is considered a Category 1 hurricane. They also said that in the Gros Morne area he had 9 inches of rain in 3 hours.
The sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Fiona will bring 5 to 10 inches of rain across eastern and southern Puerto Rico, with as much as 20 inches predicted in isolated areas. . The Dominican Republic was expected to get 4 to 8 inches of rain, with up to 12 inches in some places. Meteorologists say Fiona’s winds could also create life-threatening waves.
Meanwhile, tropical storm Leicester in the eastern Pacific was on its path to likely make landfall near the Acapulco region on Mexico’s southwest coast on Saturday night.
Leicester was expected to remain a tropical storm until it reached the coast of Mexico. Forecasters warned of potential dangers from heavy rain.
The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph on Saturday. Its center was 85 miles east-southeast of Acapulco and was moving northwest at 10 miles per hour.
The Hurricane Center said Leicester could bring 8 to 12 inches of rain on the coasts of northern Guerrero and Michoacan, and 16 inches in isolated areas.
The storm center is expected to dissipate Saturday afternoon.
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/09/17/puerto-rico-under-hurricane-warning-as-ts-fiona-approaches/ Puerto Rico receives hurricane warning as Tropical Storm Fiona approaches – Orange County Register