BY MONIQUE VARELA

Days before the anniversary of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico which was on Sept. 16, 2016, Hurricane Fiona aroused attention on Sept. 17, 2022, coming to hit the south and central regions of Puerto Rico, which were still recovering from the destruction of Maria before Fiona hit.

Fiona has caused flooding on the streets, mudslides, and has caused hundreds and thousands of people to go without power and water. Up to 20 inches of rain flood the streets, and even in some places, reaching up to 35 inches of rain. 

Hurricane Fiona, currently a category four, hit Puerto Rico causing over 20 inches of rain and destroying many homes and roads. Transportation of water, food and fuel has been difficult because of the amount of damage that Fiona has caused and it has also been hard for people who have lost their homes and have no shelter. (Elijah Nouvelage from CNN)

Fiona had been considered a category one hurricane until it began heading to Bermuda and Canada, causing an abundance of damage, and quickly becoming a category four hurricane. President Biden has since declared Fiona a federal disaster.

Ponce, a city in Puerto Rico, has received more than 32 inches of rain and has caused emergency crews to save over 400 people from the flooding. The amount of rain created by Fiona has caused roads to be flooded and has also made mudslides covering the roads and streets of Puerto Rico. This has created a lack of food and water in places that have flooded the most. 

Not only is there a shortage of food and water, Fiona has caused hundreds and thousands of citizens to go without power. More than 900,000 people are without power and it is still unknown when power will be brought back to them. 

Fiona has caused eight deaths and many people having to be saved by troops. Nearly 150 New Jersey police officers are heading to Puerto Rico to help with the recovery process. 

Two waves of 74 troops and one medical doctor are also being sent to Puerto Rico, specifically to the town Vega Baja. It is to help those who were injured during the hurricane. 

From Puerto Rico itself, more than 400 members of the Puerto Rico National Guard are helping the government by holding a search and rescue. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is also helping by sending 700 of their staff members to Puerto Rico to help with the recovery efforts.

Hurricane Fiona has caused a devastating amount of damage and is also going to hit Canada. The Washington Post claims Fiona is being considered ‘a storm everybody will remember’ and may be the worst storm Canada has faced. This hurricane may take a while for Puerto Rico to recover and the economy of Puerto Rico will face a multibillion-dollar hit.