Fiona officially became a hurricane Sunday threatening torrential rains and mudslides across Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the National Hurricane Center said.
Due to the effects of the hurricane, the electrical system is currently out of service and more than 1.4 million Puerto Ricans are without power, according to Governor Pierluisi.
“It’s time to take action and be concerned,” said Nino Correa, Puerto Rico’s emergency management commissioner.
As of 11 a.m., Hurricane Fiona was 50 miles south of Ponce, Puerto Rico with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.
Fiona is moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph and it is forecasted that the center of the storm will approach Puerto Rico Sunday morning, and move near or over Puerto Rico Sunday afternoon or evening.
Fiona will then move near the northern coast of the Dominican Republic Sunday night and Monday, and near or to the east of the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday.
U.S. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in the U.S. territory as the eye of the storm approached the island’s southwest corner.
The government of the Bahamas has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas, including the Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, the Inaguas, Mayaguana, and the Ragged Islands.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra and the coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Caucedo to Cabo Francés Viejo.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the U.S. Virgin Islands and the north coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Francés Viejo westward to Puerto Plata.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the north coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Francés Viejo westward to Puerto Plata.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the south coast of the Dominican Republic west of Cabo Caucedo to Barahona, the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeastern Bahamas.
Fiona is expected to bring 12 to 16 inches of rain, particularly across eastern and southern Puerto Rico with a local maximum of 25 inches.
Northern and Eastern Dominican Republic are expected to get 4 to 8 inches and a maximum of 12 inches, particularly near the far east coast.
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