Hurricane Fiona grew more powerful Tuesday as it rolled past Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic after pounding them with up to 30 inches of rain, triggering overwhelming flooding, mudslides and destruction.
More than 80% of Puerto Rico remained without power Tuesday, more than 24 hours after the storm shut down the island's entire electrical system. Water service was cut to more than 837,000 customers – two thirds of the total on the island, officials said.
In the Dominican Republic, more than 1 million people were without running water and 700,000 homes and businesses were without power, the national Emergency Operations Center said.
At least three ►More rain was forecast through the week in parts of Puerto Rico, and conditions were not expected to significantly improve. "Catastrophic and life-threatening flash, urban, and moderate to major river flooding, as well as mudslides, are likely for southern and eastern Puerto Rico through Tuesday due the rainfall from Hurricane Fiona," the National Weather Service warned. deaths were reported, two in Puerto Rico and one in the Dominican Republic.
►Thousands have been displaced as Puerto Rican authorities said at least 2,300 people and 250 pets were in shelters across the island.
►In Grand Turk, hurricane conditions were slamming the capital of the small British territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The government imposed a curfew and urged people to flee flood-prone areas.
►For the U.S. mainland, forecaste
- Centered near Grand Turk Island: Fiona, with sustained winds of 115 mph, was moving north-northwest at 9 mph and was centered about 40 miles north of Grand Turk Island.
- Turks and Caicos: Hurricane conditions over the Turks and Caicos were expected to persist for hours. Heavy rains were forecast to continue through this afternoon and cause life-threatening flooding, the National Weather Service said.
- In the Bahamas: Tropical storm conditions were expected to spread over portions of the southeastern Bahamas through the day.
rs say the hurricane is not expected to threaten the United States.