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| Hurricane Maria Live Updates: Structural Damage at Guajataca Dam Prompts Evacuations in Puerto Rico | Hurricane Maria Live Updates: Structural Damage at Guajataca Dam Prompts Evacuations in Puerto Rico |
| (2 days later) | |
| A dam in northwestern Puerto Rico suffered structural damage on Friday, the governor said at a news conference, prompting evacuations of areas nearby in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. | A dam in northwestern Puerto Rico suffered structural damage on Friday, the governor said at a news conference, prompting evacuations of areas nearby in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. |
| “Close to 70,000 is the estimate of people that could be affected in the case of a collapse,” the governor, Ricardo Rosselló, said about the Guajataca Dam, which is operated by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. “We don’t know the details. It’s time to get people out.” | “Close to 70,000 is the estimate of people that could be affected in the case of a collapse,” the governor, Ricardo Rosselló, said about the Guajataca Dam, which is operated by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. “We don’t know the details. It’s time to get people out.” |
| The news about the dam was a dramatic sign that the scale of troubles left behind by the storm were just being understood. Power remained out and phone service was still limited. Aerial footage from WeatherNation, a broadcast and digital network, showed a large volume of water flowing over the dam’s spillway. The water had eroded part of the spillway and some of the land between the spillway and the dam. But there was no sign that the reservoir had overtopped the dam itself. | The news about the dam was a dramatic sign that the scale of troubles left behind by the storm were just being understood. Power remained out and phone service was still limited. Aerial footage from WeatherNation, a broadcast and digital network, showed a large volume of water flowing over the dam’s spillway. The water had eroded part of the spillway and some of the land between the spillway and the dam. But there was no sign that the reservoir had overtopped the dam itself. |
| A flash flood warning was previously issued by the National Weather Service for the municipalities of Isabela and Quebradillas, in the immediate areas of the dam. “This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the service said in an advisory. | A flash flood warning was previously issued by the National Weather Service for the municipalities of Isabela and Quebradillas, in the immediate areas of the dam. “This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the service said in an advisory. |
| Messages sent to the power authority about the condition of the dam were not immediately returned. | Messages sent to the power authority about the condition of the dam were not immediately returned. |
| The National Guard has been activated in the area, the governor said. | The National Guard has been activated in the area, the governor said. |
| “It’s been hard to see infrastructure deteriorate in Puerto Rico,” he said, “but it has been harder to meet citizens who have lost it all.” | |
| According to the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Guajataca Dam is an earthen structure, 120 feet high and nearly 1,000 feet long. It was built in 1929 by the power authority. | According to the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Guajataca Dam is an earthen structure, 120 feet high and nearly 1,000 feet long. It was built in 1929 by the power authority. |
| It lies across the Guajataca River, forming a reservoir that can hold about 11 billion gallons of water that is used for drinking, irrigation and power generation. | It lies across the Guajataca River, forming a reservoir that can hold about 11 billion gallons of water that is used for drinking, irrigation and power generation. |
| Sign up for the Morning Briefing for hurricane news and a daily look at what you need to know to begin your day. See how the storm traveled across Puerto Rico, and here is a guide on how to help victims. | Sign up for the Morning Briefing for hurricane news and a daily look at what you need to know to begin your day. See how the storm traveled across Puerto Rico, and here is a guide on how to help victims. |
| Officials in Puerto Rico were corralling incoming aid as rescue and recovery efforts continued after the storm, Mr. Rosselló said on MSNBC on Friday. | Officials in Puerto Rico were corralling incoming aid as rescue and recovery efforts continued after the storm, Mr. Rosselló said on MSNBC on Friday. |
| “There’s still some rain and, of course, the soils are saturated, so it’s still not safe to go outside,” he said. “We’re still on emergency protocol and our main objective right now is making sure people are safe.” | “There’s still some rain and, of course, the soils are saturated, so it’s still not safe to go outside,” he said. “We’re still on emergency protocol and our main objective right now is making sure people are safe.” |
| Mr. Rosselló said that the island was getting generators, mattresses, food and water from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and from others in the private sector. | Mr. Rosselló said that the island was getting generators, mattresses, food and water from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and from others in the private sector. |
| Officials have established a logistics center, which will receive all incoming aid and then distribute it to 12 zones throughout the island, he said. | Officials have established a logistics center, which will receive all incoming aid and then distribute it to 12 zones throughout the island, he said. |
| “The people of Puerto Rico are really being tremendous under these circumstances,” he said. | “The people of Puerto Rico are really being tremendous under these circumstances,” he said. |
| Some elderly residents had been found in rural areas without food and necessary medication, Carmen Yulín Cruz, the mayor of San Juan, said on CNN on Friday. | Some elderly residents had been found in rural areas without food and necessary medication, Carmen Yulín Cruz, the mayor of San Juan, said on CNN on Friday. |
| “My biggest fear is that we don’t get to those that need it,” she said. “If we get to an elderly home too late, the situation of care will be disastrous.” | “My biggest fear is that we don’t get to those that need it,” she said. “If we get to an elderly home too late, the situation of care will be disastrous.” |
| Early reports indicated there was minimal damage to the country. In a statement late Thursday, the Ministry of Tourism said that the tourism industry was not directly impacted by the hurricane. The industry fuels a large portion of the economy. So far in 2017, at least five million tourists have visited the country. | Early reports indicated there was minimal damage to the country. In a statement late Thursday, the Ministry of Tourism said that the tourism industry was not directly impacted by the hurricane. The industry fuels a large portion of the economy. So far in 2017, at least five million tourists have visited the country. |
| “In the north, the situation is under control despite intermittent rains and moderate winds that have caused some trees to fall,” said Julio Almonte, vice minister of tourism for the Dominican Republic’s northern zone. “We have toured the area and can report that the hotel infrastructure has not suffered any damage and that electricity and water services are working.” | “In the north, the situation is under control despite intermittent rains and moderate winds that have caused some trees to fall,” said Julio Almonte, vice minister of tourism for the Dominican Republic’s northern zone. “We have toured the area and can report that the hotel infrastructure has not suffered any damage and that electricity and water services are working.” |
| Punta Cana, La Romana and Samaná El Catey airports reopened on Thursday evening. | Punta Cana, La Romana and Samaná El Catey airports reopened on Thursday evening. |
| “So far, no significant damage is reported in the country’s tourist destinations,” said Joel Santos, president of the National Hotel and Tourism Association of the Dominican Republic. “There are cleaning and gardening crews operating to repair some of the things that wind and rain have affected, but fortunately there is nothing that the current protocols and established procedures have not helped us deal with.” | “So far, no significant damage is reported in the country’s tourist destinations,” said Joel Santos, president of the National Hotel and Tourism Association of the Dominican Republic. “There are cleaning and gardening crews operating to repair some of the things that wind and rain have affected, but fortunately there is nothing that the current protocols and established procedures have not helped us deal with.” |