“We have not experienced an event of this magnitude in our modern history,” Ricardo Rossello, governor of Puerto Rico, said in a televised message on Tuesday. In Puerto Rico, Maria is expected to dump as much as 63.5cm of rain on parts of the island, the NHC said. A slow weakening is expected after the hurricane emerges over the Atlantic north of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the NHC added. Puerto Rico avoided a direct hit from Irma, but the storm knocked out power for 70% of the island, and killed at least three people. Puerto Rico is grappling with the largest municipal debt crisis in US history, with both its government and the public utility having filed for bankruptcy protection amid fights with creditors.

Source: Dhaka Tribune September 20, 2017 14:26 UTC