The strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in over 80 years destroyed hundreds of homes, knocked out power across the entire island and triggered heavy flooding on Wednesday.
The onslaught could plunge the US territory deeper into financial crisis.
Leaving at least nine people dead in its wake across the Caribbean, Hurricane Maria blew ashore in the morning in the south-east coastal town of Yabucoa as a Category 4 storm with winds of 155mph.
“Once we’re able to go outside, we’re going to find our island destroyed,” said Abner Gomez, Puerto Rico’s emergency management director.
“The information we have received is not encouraging. It’s a system that has destroyed everything in its path.”
Starting To receive images from Puerto Rico. My sister just sent me this. It’s from Utuado my hometown. #HurricaneMaria pic.twitter.com/STnSEI9yBm
— Antonio Paris (@AntonioParis) September 20, 2017
It was the second time in two weeks that Puerto Rico felt the wrath of a hurricane.
There was no immediate word of any deaths or serious injuries.
As people waited it out in shelters or took cover inside stairwells, bathrooms and closets, Maria brought down power lines, snapped trees, tore off roofs and unloaded at least 20 inches of rain.
Widespread flooding was reported, with dozens of cars half-submerged in some neighbourhoods and many streets turned into rivers.
Hurricane #Maria made landfall near Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, around 6:15am AST with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) @NWS @NOAA pic.twitter.com/RmFwVMn6r7
— Natl Hurricane Ctr (@NWSNHC) September 20, 2017
Felix Delgado, mayor of the northern coastal city of Catano, told The Associated Press that 80% of the 454 homes in an area called Juana Matos were destroyed.
“Months and months and months and months are going to pass before we can recover from this,” he said.
As of 2pm local time, Maria had weakened to a Category 3, with winds of 115mph.
It was off Puerto Rico’s north-west coast, moving at about 15mph, and was expected to pass off the coast of the Dominican Republic late on Wednesday and on Thursday.
Even before the storm, Puerto Rico’s electrical grid was crumbling and the island was in dire condition financially.
Puerto Rico being hit hard by new monster Hurricane. Be careful, our hearts are with you- will be there to help!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 20, 2017
Puerto Rico is struggling to restructure a portion of its 73 billion US dollar (£54 billion) debt, and the government has warned it is running out of money.
Governor Ricardo Rossello urged people to have faith: “We are stronger than any hurricane. Together, we will rebuild.”
He later asked President Donald Trump to declare the island a disaster zone, a step that would open the way to federal aid.
Many feared extended power cuts would further sink businesses struggling amid a recession that has lasted more than a decade.
“This is going to be a disaster,” said Jean Robert Auguste, who owns two French restaurants and sought shelter at a San Juan hotel.
“We haven’t made any money this month.”
More than 11,000 people — and more than 580 pets — were in shelters, authorities said.
