In an effort to keep travelers and locals safe, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has issued a hurricane warning for Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Over the past few days, Tropical Storm Fiona has grown into a Category 1 storm that will hit both tourist hotspots next Saturday or Sunday.
Originally a tropical storm, Fiona has been upgraded to a hurricane title as sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or more have been reported. This storm has now claimed the lives of several individuals in the Caribbean and is expected to affect both tourist hotspots and several other islands in the area.
As Fiona is moving from the southeast, it is expected to create major hazards in the southernmost parts of the territories it hits.
Experts suggest Fiona could drop up to 20 inches of rain in these US territories, which could lead to mudslides, landslides, flash flooding and other natural disasters.
Residents and visitors should expect major power outages during and after the hurricane hits. Many flights and cruises to Puerto Rico have been confirmed canceled and residents are currently window-boarding in preparation for the natural disaster.
This is certainly not Puerto Rico’s first massive hurricane, as many residents remember Hurricane Maria that hit the area in September 2017. This Category 5 storm completely devastated the entire northeastern Caribbean and was recorded as the worst natural disaster to hit the area on record, costing over $91 billion in damages.
