Puerto Ricans Devastated by Hurricane Fiona, No Fresh Water or Electricity

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Playa Salinas is flooded after the passing of Hurricane Fiona in Salinas, Puerto Rico, Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)
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Hurricane Fiona is expected to continue hammering Puerto Rico. President of the South Florida Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, Luis DeRosa, says parts of the island are without power.

“The electricity on the island: the grid is down. And everyone has to be protected and stay put. Obviously there’s no communication going on in Puerto Rico now, which is concerned through Puerto Ricans in Florida,” DeRosa said.

Fresh water is a major concern and getting it to the island is also a difficult task.

“And it’s the heaviest and it’s difficult to transport, takes up a lot of space. So we believe it’s probably better, you know, donations and perishable foods like vegetables and beans that can last a long time.”

The National Hurricane Center is warning of continued life-threatening and catastrophic flooding across Puerto Rico with up to 30 inches of rain in some areas. Just days ago, President Biden announced an emergency declaration that read in part, “FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75% federal funding.”


Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.

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AURN NEWS WITH EBONY MCMORRIS