Calls for reform in Puerto Rico as Hurricane Fiona leaves entire island without power

Judy Woodruff:

The Northern Caribbean is still under the onslaught of Hurricane Fiona tonight. Sustained winds have grown to 115 miles an hour as the storm pushes north. And it's dumping more downpours in its wake.

So far, officials report at least two deaths.

William Brangham has our report.

William Brangham:

Parts of the Caribbean washed away, as heavy rains and winds from Hurricane Fiona bombarded the islands early this week. The storm hit the smaller Turks and Caicos islands Tuesday, bringing government-issued curfews and flood warnings.

Fiona made landfall in Puerto Rico, before sweeping over the Dominican Republic and then making its way north on Tuesday. Officials say it may grow stronger still as it heads to Bermuda, where it's expected to hit Friday.

In the Dominican Republic, some began cleaning up from the storm after it wrecked homes and toppled trees and power poles. The massive amount of rainfall brought historic levels of flooding.

Juan Mora, Dominican Republic Resident (through translator):

It was very strong as it passed through here, very strong. It destroyed the majority of homes.

William Brangham:

Puerto Rico saw some of the worst of the storm's wrath. Homes, roads, and businesses were still underwater after days of rain. Rivers flooded dangerously high and residents struggled with the devastation left behind.

Tito Alman, Puerto Rico Resident (through translator):

It was too much. I didn't expect this. A lot of people lost everything. Very, very rough.

William Brangham:

The National Guard rescued hundreds of residents trapped by floods. By Monday, around 2,300 people remained in shelters.

Carmen Rivera, Hurricane Evacuee (through translator):

Everything was flooded. We had to run out in the rain, we had to leave in emergency, and thanks to a neighbor who helped us, we could get out.

William Brangham:

The storm triggered an island-wide blackout on Sunday and cut off clean water to about two-thirds of the population. By midday Tuesday, most of the island was still without power.

Governor Pedro Pierluisi warned it could be days before the power grid was fully restored. He announced his request to President Biden to declare Puerto Rico a federal disaster area. FEMA's administrator is scheduled to visit the island some time on Tuesday.

The island, still reeling from Hurricane Maria five years ago, received up to 25 inches of rain, with more still coming. For some, Fiona was a chilling reminder that Puerto Rico is still too vulnerable, even five years later.

Adi Martinez Roman is with the University of Puerto Rico's Resiliency Law Center. To her, it was clear the island was not prepared for another storm.

Adi Martinez Roman, University of Puerto Rico: It has been five years since two Category 5 hurricane hit the island. And the recovery process has not been effective, and has not really created the conditions that communities can withstand other disasters.

All of Puerto Rico lost electrical service. And this is a Category 1 hurricane. And we lost — all the island lost electrical services.

William Brangham:

The failure of the islands power grid came despite billions of dollars spent to bolster the system in the years after Maria.

Members of Congress today gathered to remember the five-year anniversary of that hurricane and to address the shock of facing yet another destructive storm. Democrats called for more federal assistance to the island.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY):

Unfortunately, today, unfortunately, we're confronted once again with another devastating natural disaster, Hurricane Fiona. Enough is enough. The Puerto Rican Energy Bureau must push PREPA and LUMA not only to restore power, but to once and for all create a distributed, more resilient grid, and we will back them up.

William Brangham:

As leadership on the island grapples with Fiona's aftermath, Adi Martinez argues that recovery from this storm has to be done smarter than the last.

Adi Martinez Roman:

Disaster recovery is not done in an efficient way, if those billions and billions of dollars for recovery from disasters are not used to build back better, to build back more resilient infrastructure that actually is accessible and ensure essential services to the most vulnerable, climate change will definitely mean that oppressed people, Black and brown people are going to be left out, displaced from their communities.

And that's exactly what we need to avoid.

William Brangham:

For now, the people of Puerto Rico are again left stunned in the wake of Fiona's ruins.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm William Brangham.