這是波多黎各近90年來遭遇的最猛烈的一次颶風(fēng)。
波多黎各緊急事務(wù)管理局負(fù)責(zé)人戈麥斯說:“等我們可以出門的時候會發(fā)現(xiàn),這個島已經(jīng)被摧毀”。
波多黎各各地開設(shè)的幾百個避難所里收留了1萬1千多人,其余的人則是待在家里,等待颶風(fēng)的離去。颶風(fēng)瑪利亞給波多黎各部分地區(qū)帶來了50厘米的降雨,狂風(fēng)刮斷了電線和手機信號發(fā)射塔,掀翻了房頂。
波多黎各首都圣胡安的國家氣象局說,“災(zāi)難性的洪水”星期四還將繼續(xù)。美國國家颶風(fēng)中心預(yù)計,隨著風(fēng)暴的離去,水勢和風(fēng)力也會隨之消退。
瑪利亞的颶風(fēng)中心星期四將掃過多米尼加共和國以北海域,星期五早上向特克斯和凱科斯群島靠攏。最新通告說,目前的最高持續(xù)風(fēng)速為每小時175公里,氣象預(yù)報說,瑪利亞風(fēng)力還會加強。
波多黎各總督羅賽羅宣布早六點至晚六點宵禁,星期六結(jié)束,為救援人員和有關(guān)官員救災(zāi)提供方便。
Hurricane Maria dropped more heavy rain Thursday on Puerto Rico after knocking out power across the entire island, flooding many areas and killing at least one person.
The storm was the strongest hurricane to hit the U.S. territory in almost 90 years.
"When we are able to go outside, we are going to find our island destroyed," said Abner Gomez, who heads Puerto Rico's emergency management agency.
More than 11,000 people took cover in the hundreds of shelters set up across Puerto Rico, while others rode out the storm in their homes. Hurricane Maria has dropped 50 centimeters of rain in some places, while its strong winds took down power lines and cell phone towers and blew off roofs.
The National Weather Service office in San Juan said "catastrophic flooding" continued Thursday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center expected the water levels and high winds to subside during the day as the storm moves away.
The center of Maria will pass offshore north of the Dominican Republic Thursday and approach the Turks and Caicos Islands by early Friday. The latest advisories said the storm packed maximum sustained winds of about 175 kilometers per hour, and forecasters said Maria will strengthen some.
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello imposed a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily until Saturday to allow rescue crews and officials to respond to the hurricane's aftermath.