Thursday, September 15, when Fiona was still only a tropical storm and Puerto Rico was actively preparing for its arrival, the local daily The new day believed that the passage of the depression, five years after the devastation and 3,000 deaths caused by Hurricane María, would constitute “a life-size test of readiness” of the American archipelago.
“It is essential, for citizens, that this event, or any other to come, is not accompanied by major or prolonged breakdowns of the electricity, drinking water, telecommunications or health networks”wrote the Puerto Rican title.
The ace ! Even before Fiona – which became a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday – made landfall in the southwest of the island shortly after 3 p.m. local time, “the high voltage lines were out of service and the network was completely down”testifies First hour.
Privatisation
The Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi, assured that the employees of Luma Energy, the private operator that distributes electricity on the island, “were hard at work and ready to respond to the situation as soon as conditions permitted”according NPR. But at Luma, we admitted on Sunday that the complete restoration of the network “could take several days”.
The American edition ofThe country recalls that in 2017, Hurricane María “had already plunged the country into darkness, destroying its electricity network”. Since then, despite privatization presented as the remedy for all network ills, “the service has repeatedly broken down, sparking anger and complaints from islanders and hampering economic recovery”.
It was therefore in complete darkness that the 3.2 million Puerto Ricans prepared to spend their first night under the torrential rains caused by Fiona, while “social media was filled with images of swollen rivers, landslides and floods” and “many roads were cut off”écrit The country.
No victims were to be deplored immediately, but in Maunabo, in the south-east of the island, the authorities recognized “not having the necessary equipment” to rescue two families threatened by landslides, who have “waited too long to ask for help”according to the newspaper the spokesman.
Declaration of emergency
Fiona’s stint on Puerto Rico should last “two days” and many inhabitants “will probably be immobilized until at least Monday evening”observed Ernesto Rodríguez, of the National Meteorological Services, quoted by the Miami Herald. “We expect significant, even catastrophic flooding” in the archipelago, he added.
US President Joe Biden on Sunday morning approved an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico, which will, among other things, release funds for relief. But CNN emphasizes that the threat does not stop at the archipelago and the Dominican Republic – its next destination.
The hurricane should “continue to strengthen, and meteorologists expect Fiona to become a major hurricane on Wednesday, en route to the Bahamas and Bermuda”reports the American chain.
“With each passing year, the link between hurricanes and climate change becomes more evident”notice the New York Times. “Statistics show that hurricanes have become more powerful, worldwide, over the past forty years”.