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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Maria Makes Landfall in Puerto Rico @ Cat 4

The strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico since the Great Depression pummeled the island on Wednesday, tearing off roofs and doors, toppling cell towers and unleashing heavy flooding in an onslaught that could deepen the U.S. territory's financial crisis. 

 

Maria, which left at least nine people dead in its wake across the Caribbean, blew ashore in the morning in the southeast coastal town of Yabucoa as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 155 mph. It was expected to punish the island with life-threatening winds, storm surge and rain for 12 to 24 hours. 

 

As people took cover inside stairwells, bathrooms and closets, Maria slowly crossed the island, knocking down communication towers, snapping trees and unloading at least 20 inches of rain. Widespread flooding was reported across the island, with dozens of cars half-submerged in some neighborhoods and many streets turned into rivers.

 

People calling local radio stations reported that doors were being torn off their hinges and a water tank flew away.

 

Mike Theiss, a National Geographic photographer who is waiting out the storm in a hotel in San Juan, that the winds sound 'like a woman screaming at the top of her lungs'. 

 

'It's a very high pitched wailing sound. And it's coming through every crack in this building right now. Every now and then we hear a big piece of debris hit the wall and it will tremble a little bit,' Theiss said. 

 

The storm threatened to ravage the island's already crumbling power grid and worsen its economic woes.

 

Puerto Rico is struggling to restructure a portion of its $73 billion public debt, and the government has warned it is running out of money as it deals with furloughs and other austerity measures imposed by a federal board overseeing the island's finances.

 

Gov. Ricardo Rossello urged people to have faith: 'We are stronger than any hurricane. Together, we will rebuild.'

 

He later asked to declare the island a disaster zone, a step that would open the way to federal aid. 

  

 

Hurricane Maria made landfall on Puerto Rico around 6:15am on Wednesday. Above was the hurricane's location at 11am ET

 

In a video posted to Facebook, one Puerto Rican shows off the flooding in the town of Guayama

 

More videos and story: (no political or retail sidebars!)

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4902546/Maria-makes-landfall-Puerto-Rico-Cat-4-hurricane.htm...

 

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,026
Registered: ‎09-30-2012

Re: Maria Makes Landfall in Puerto Rico @ Cat 4

 

Hurricane Maria-2017

 

~A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words~
Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,597
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Maria Makes Landfall in Puerto Rico @ Cat 4

ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the island is without power. Heartbreaking!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,416
Registered: ‎11-03-2013

Re: Maria Makes Landfall in Puerto Rico @ Cat 4

I was lucky enough to visit Puerto Rico in the late 90's.  Beautiful island with lovely people, I felt so welcomed there.  Had the time of my life chatting and interacting with the local restaurants and also out of the way places as they were so happy to share their culture which is incredibly diverse.  It made me sad as we were driving through the less traveled parts of the island to see the destruction of what I believe was hurricane Hugo as they just couldn't afford to rebuild.

 

This morning one cable channel was broadcasting from the resort I was lucky enough to stay at.  It was so upsetting to see the incredible force of Maria especially when one recognizes the areas that are being torn apart by those incredible winds . . . good thoughts and prayers to all in the path of Maria and special prayers for those that were recently impacted by previous storms and are now being brutalized by Maria.  Heart

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,597
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Maria Makes Landfall in Puerto Rico @ Cat 4

I lived in San Juan with my family back in the mid-sixties for four years. We lived through three hurricanes but none like Maria. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,416
Registered: ‎11-03-2013

Re: Maria Makes Landfall in Puerto Rico @ Cat 4

@SilleeMee I had such a great time in PR so it's tough to watch them go through this.  I was beyond naive when I visited with my now ex so everything was a new experience.  One of the best was when we were at a small shack on the ocean.  I am not a fan of seafood but I couldn't resist the gentlemen who ran the business as he was from the Netherlands and that day's special was "Seafood Your Preference".  After a few verbal conversations and a few charade-like conversations I finally understood that whatever seafood I wanted he would go fish out of the ocean . . . unbelieveable!

Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎01-10-2013

Re: Maria Makes Landfall in Puerto Rico @ Cat 4

Image result for sending prayers images

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Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Maria Makes Landfall in Puerto Rico @ Cat 4

I'm very worried as I have many family members in Ponce and have not been able to reach anyone. No cell signals. Please send your prayers and good thoughts their way.Smiley Frustrated

"Kindness is like snow ~It beautifies everything it covers"
-Kahlil Gibran