The worst storm to hit Puerto Rico “in modern history” made landfall as a Category 4 storm early Wednesday, causing massive damage and destruction.
Hurricane Maria, the strongest storm to hit the island in 85 years, roared through with sustained 155 mph winds, hitting near Yabucoa around 6:15 a.m., as residents sought shelter and high ground in the face of a slow-moving system that’s expected to drop up to 25 inches of rain and create a surge of nearly 10 feet.
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Maria is devastating the island, blowing roofs off buildings, destroying public infrastructure, and leaving Puerto Ricans homeless, just a week after the island suffered damage from Hurricane Irma.
The island’s governor, Ricardo Rossello, tweeted early Wednesday morning that already 11,229 people had been admitted to shelters, along with 580 pets.
The storm had already ravaged the Caribbean before reaching Puerto Rico. It has left devastation on Dominica, where seven people are confirmed dead, according to the Associated Press, and the French islands of Guadeloupe and La Desirade.
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