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Hundreds in Puerto Rico evacuated after Hurricane Maria causes dam to fail Puerto Rico residents evacuate after dam fails in Hurricane Maria's wake
(35 minutes later)
Hundreds of people in western Puerto Rico are being evacuated from their homes after Hurricane Maria caused a dam to fail, the National Weather Service said on Friday. A dam in western Puerto Rico has failed, causing “extremely dangerous” flooding and prompting authorities to evacuate people from their homes, in the wake of Hurricane Maria, the US National Weather Service said on Friday.
Operators warned that the Guajataca Dam was failing at 2pm local time, causing flash floods downstream on the Rio Guajataca, the NWS said. Operators warned that the Guajataca dam was failing at 2pm local time, causing flash floods downstream on the Rio Guajataca, the NWS said.
“This is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. Buses are currently evacuating people from the area as quickly as they can,” the NWS tweeted.“This is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. Buses are currently evacuating people from the area as quickly as they can,” the NWS tweeted.
215PM FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for A Dam Failure in Isabela Municipality y Quebradillas Municipality in Puerto Rico... #prwx pic.twitter.com/L3utOjxspR215PM FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for A Dam Failure in Isabela Municipality y Quebradillas Municipality in Puerto Rico... #prwx pic.twitter.com/L3utOjxspR
Maria was the second major hurricane to hit the Caribbean this month and the strongest storm to hit the US territory in nearly 90 years. It completely knocked out the island’s power, and several rivers hit record flood levels.Maria was the second major hurricane to hit the Caribbean this month and the strongest storm to hit the US territory in nearly 90 years. It completely knocked out the island’s power, and several rivers hit record flood levels.
Officials on the island said on Friday that six people had been confirmed killed by the storm: three died in landslides in Utuadno, in the island’s mountainous center; two drowned in flooding in Toa Baja, west of San Juan, and one died in Bayamon, also near San Juan, after being stuck by a panel. Officials on the island said on Friday that six people had been confirmed killed by the storm: three died in landslides in Utuadno, in the island’s mountainous center; two drowned in flooding in Toa Baja, west of San Juan; and one died in Bayamon, also near San Juan, after being struck by a panel.
Earlier news media reports had the death toll on the island as high as 15.Earlier news media reports had the death toll on the island as high as 15.
“At the moment these are fatalities we know of. We know of other potential fatalities through unofficial channels that we haven’t been able to confirm,” said Hector Pesquera, the government’s secretary of public safety. “At the moment, these are fatalities we know of. We know of other potential fatalities through unofficial channels that we haven’t been able to confirm,” said Hector Pesquera, the government’s secretary of public safety.
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