After strengthening into a Category 4 storm Wednesday, Hurricane Fiona was forecast to hit Bermuda later this week, bringing threats of hurricane-force winds and surf swells as the storm continues to intensify.
Bermuda is likely to avoid the worst of the storm's wrath suffered by Puerto Rico, but residents face the possibility of hurricane and tropical storm conditions late Thursday into early Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The forecast also includes a storm surge on the island, including elevated water levels and "large and destructive waves" near the coast, according to the NHC. The Bermudan government advised residents to prepare for the storm by checking water, medicine and food supplies and securing boats and homes.
The storm flooded Puerto Rico with 6 to 20 inches of rain earlier this week, with parts of the island without electricity or running water and under the threat of additional flooding and mudslides days later. Puerto Rico's fragile electrical grid and continual recovery from Hurricane Maria in 2017 has compounded challenges for rescue and rebuilding efforts.
At least four people have died through the Caribbean, officials said.
- Recovery begins: Puerto Ricans describe the 'nightmare' of weathering Fiona just five years after Hurricane Maria. Here's what recovery efforts look like.
- How to help: Advocates encourage people to support local organizations and grassroots aid groups providing relief on the ground. Here's a list.
- Images: Dramatic scenes of homes underwater and mudslides are emerging from Puerto Rico. See the people and places impacted here.
- In Puerto Rico: 'We have suffered so much'
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi requested a major disaster declaration Tuesday, calling the damage "catastrophic." Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced it will send hundreds of personnel to aid local response efforts, while the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency.
Puerto Rico experienced widespread landslides, damaged homes, washed-out bridges and downed powerlines as torrential rains and flooding engulfed the island
- Power company officials initially said it would take a few days for electricity to be fully restored, but then appeared to backtrack late Tuesday night. Only 26% had power as of Wednesday morning, three days after it hit the island.
"We have suffered so much," Rafael Joglar, 68, a biology professor based in San Juan, told USA TODAY, adding that the island has yet to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria five years ago.
- Path: Hurricane Fiona strengthens to Category 4
Now a Category 4 storm, Hurricane Fiona was located about 700 miles southwest of the island of Bermuda on Wednesday morning with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The storm is expected to strengthen through Wednesday night and move north at 8 mph through the evening.