Puerto Rico declared a state emergency ahead of Hurricane Dorian as it moves across the Caribbean toward Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria's devastation two years later.
Dorian, the fourth named storm of the hurricane season, officials gained enough strength to become a hurricane Wednesday afternoon as it moves through the Caribbean with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. Forecasters expect the storm to continue gathering strength and growing in size as it approaches the Southeastern U.S.
The center of the storm is around 240 miles east-southeast of Puerto Rico and moving northwest at around 13 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
A state of emergency was declared by Puerto Rico authorities ahead of the approaching storm. Residents on the island have been placed under a hurricane watch and are currently under a tropical storm warning. Tropical storm warnings were also in effect for the U.S. Virgin Islands as Dorian approaches.
The worst of the storm is expected to hit hard on the western and southern parts of the island, battering residents with high winds and heavy rainfall. The National Hurricane Center said Puerto Rico should expect up to six inches of rainfall.
The storm is expected to reach Puerto Rico Wednesday afternoon, with Dorian forecast to head for the Bahamas on Friday and Saturday. Depending on the track of the storm, Dorian could reach Southeastern Florida by early Sunday morning. Florida residents could see up to 5 inches of rain, the hurricane center said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration sought by Puerto Rico, ordering federal assistance to be sent in response to the coming storm. FEMA officials and the Puerto Rico National Guard are on standby to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts.
The island is still struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria, which struck Puerto Rico as a Category 4 Hurricane in 2017. Officials estimate that nearly 3,000 people died because of Hurricane Maria or its aftermath, placing it among one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history.