This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-41340392
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 11 | Version 12 |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Maria: Puerto Rico may be months without power | Hurricane Maria: Puerto Rico may be months without power |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hurricane Maria has knocked out power across the island of Puerto Rico, home to 3.5m people, officials have said. | Hurricane Maria has knocked out power across the island of Puerto Rico, home to 3.5m people, officials have said. |
| Flash flood warnings cover the entire island, which continues to be lashed by heavy rain in the storm's wake. | Flash flood warnings cover the entire island, which continues to be lashed by heavy rain in the storm's wake. |
| Meanwhile more pictures are emerging of widespread destruction on the small island of Dominica, hit on Monday. | Meanwhile more pictures are emerging of widespread destruction on the small island of Dominica, hit on Monday. |
| Maria, now a category three storm, has been lashing the Dominican Republic further west and heading towards the Turks and Caicos Islands. | |
| It is the second devastating storm to hit the Caribbean this hurricane season - the first being category five Irma earlier in September. | It is the second devastating storm to hit the Caribbean this hurricane season - the first being category five Irma earlier in September. |
| 'Our island destroyed' | 'Our island destroyed' |
| US President Donald Trump said the storm had "totally obliterated" the US territory, and pledged to visit Puerto Rico. | US President Donald Trump said the storm had "totally obliterated" the US territory, and pledged to visit Puerto Rico. |
| The island's Governor Ricardo Rossello described the hurricane as "the most devastating storm in a century" and said that Maria had hit the island's electricity grid so badly that it could take months to restore power. | The island's Governor Ricardo Rossello described the hurricane as "the most devastating storm in a century" and said that Maria had hit the island's electricity grid so badly that it could take months to restore power. |
| In pictures: Maria aftermath on Puerto Rico | In pictures: Maria aftermath on Puerto Rico |
| The storm is being blamed for at least 10 deaths across the Caribbean. In Puerto Rico one man died after being struck by a board he had used to cover his windows. | The storm is being blamed for at least 10 deaths across the Caribbean. In Puerto Rico one man died after being struck by a board he had used to cover his windows. |
| The authorities have warned people to move to higher ground amid "catastrophic" flooding, and with up to 30in (76cm) more rain predicted by Saturday. | |
| Images shared on social media show roofs being stripped away as winds as strong as 140mph (225km/h) whipped trees and power lines in Puerto Rico's capital city, San Juan. | |
| "God is with us; we are stronger than any hurricane," Mr Rossello said. "Together we will rise again." | "God is with us; we are stronger than any hurricane," Mr Rossello said. "Together we will rise again." |
| The governor has asked President Donald Trump to declare the island a disaster area after the storm unleashed heavy flooding and life-threatening winds, and damaged infrastructure across the territory. | The governor has asked President Donald Trump to declare the island a disaster area after the storm unleashed heavy flooding and life-threatening winds, and damaged infrastructure across the territory. |
| The US president is yet to do so, but has made federal emergency aid available. | The US president is yet to do so, but has made federal emergency aid available. |
| Hurricane Maria: What to do before, during and after | Hurricane Maria: What to do before, during and after |
| At the scene: A city under curfew | At the scene: A city under curfew |
| By Will Grant in San Juan, Puerto Rico | By Will Grant in San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico - the biggest storm to make landfall on the island in almost a century - the governor of San Juan has ordered people to stay indoors between 18:00 and 06:00. | After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico - the biggest storm to make landfall on the island in almost a century - the governor of San Juan has ordered people to stay indoors between 18:00 and 06:00. |
| In part it is to protect people from accidents with so many electrical cables down and debris in the streets. Furthermore there are thousands of properties empty across the island after people sought refuge with family and friends or in emergency shelters. | In part it is to protect people from accidents with so many electrical cables down and debris in the streets. Furthermore there are thousands of properties empty across the island after people sought refuge with family and friends or in emergency shelters. |
| Once the winds finally died down enough, residents ventured out to assess the damage. On first impressions, it seems the city has avoided widespread devastation but roofs have been ripped off homes, many trees are down, some balconies have fallen from the front of buildings and I saw at least one building that had completely collapsed near the waterfront. | Once the winds finally died down enough, residents ventured out to assess the damage. On first impressions, it seems the city has avoided widespread devastation but roofs have been ripped off homes, many trees are down, some balconies have fallen from the front of buildings and I saw at least one building that had completely collapsed near the waterfront. |
| The real question of how bad Maria has been for Puerto Rico will emerge as news comes in from the more remote regions. Thankfully though, it does seem there has been no major loss of life. | The real question of how bad Maria has been for Puerto Rico will emerge as news comes in from the more remote regions. Thankfully though, it does seem there has been no major loss of life. |
| What happened in Dominica? | What happened in Dominica? |
| The storm has cut a swathe through the Caribbean on its north-westerly trajectory, hitting Dominica on Monday night. | The storm has cut a swathe through the Caribbean on its north-westerly trajectory, hitting Dominica on Monday night. |
| At least 15 people are dead and 20 others are missing on Dominica after Hurricane Maria, the Caribbean island's prime minister has said. | |
| Homes have been flattened, schools have been destroyed, telecommunications have been cut off and the island's main hospital is still without electricity, he said. | |
| On Thursday CNN posted footage from a flight over the island showing scattered debris from homes ripped open and thousands of broken trees. | On Thursday CNN posted footage from a flight over the island showing scattered debris from homes ripped open and thousands of broken trees. |
| An adviser to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Hartley Henry, said on Facebook: "The country is in a daze - no electricity, no running water - as a result of uprooted pipes in most communities and definitely [no] landline or cellphone services on island, and that will be for quite a while." | An adviser to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Hartley Henry, said on Facebook: "The country is in a daze - no electricity, no running water - as a result of uprooted pipes in most communities and definitely [no] landline or cellphone services on island, and that will be for quite a while." |
| Images from the capital, Roseau, show some streets knee-deep in debris. | Images from the capital, Roseau, show some streets knee-deep in debris. |
| Aid agencies have been preparing to go to Dominica to provide relief. | Aid agencies have been preparing to go to Dominica to provide relief. |
| Hours before reaching Puerto Rico, Maria barrelled through the St Croix in the US Virgin Islands as a category five storm, sustaining winds of up to 175mph (281km/h). | Hours before reaching Puerto Rico, Maria barrelled through the St Croix in the US Virgin Islands as a category five storm, sustaining winds of up to 175mph (281km/h). |
| The French territory of Guadeloupe suffered flooding on Monday and one person was killed by a falling tree and another died on the seafront. At least two others were missing after their ship sank near Desirade, the easternmost island in the archipelago. | The French territory of Guadeloupe suffered flooding on Monday and one person was killed by a falling tree and another died on the seafront. At least two others were missing after their ship sank near Desirade, the easternmost island in the archipelago. |
| Are you in an area affected by Hurricane Maria? Share your experience: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in an area affected by Hurricane Maria? Share your experience: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |