Puerto Rico’s Devastation by Hurricane Fiona Overshadowed by Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral

Yet another hurricane has devastated Puerto Rico days before the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Maria—the storm the island is still recovering from.

On September 19, Governor Pedro Pierluisi announced that Hurricane Fiona had destroyed urban areas, left the entire archipelago without power and killed at least one person.

The National Hurricane Center states that rain could intensify and the island could reach up to 30 inches of rainfall, increasing the chances of flash floods, landslides and the destruction of homes, bridges and roads.

According to Pierluisi, he has been in touch with President Joe Biden and government leaders in the United States to coordinate recovery assistance.

Photo by Jose Jimenez/Getty Images

The National Guard has deployed 600 soldiers throughout Puerto Rico and emergency responders have assisted people throughout the island.

However, as Puerto Ricans are left to recover from the damage of the storm that is estimated to continue flooding the island until Tuesday, September 20, and has left more than 700,000 people without access to clean water, the world has been focused on Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral across the Atlantic.

Nicaraguan American political strategist and co-host of The View, Ana Navarro, criticized major television networks for their lack of coverage of the hurricane in contrast to the continuous news cycle regarding The Queen’s funeral.

“Folks, I respect The Queen as much as the next person. I offer my condolences to the Brits and all who loved her,” Navarro tweeted. “But can I please get some news and footage of the effects of Fiona in Puerto Rico? For those who need reminding, they are American citizens in distress.”

According to The Washington Post, Luma Energy, the private consortium managing Puerto Rico’s electricity, is said to have restored power to 100,000 customers in the northern part of the main island.

Five years ago, Puerto Rico was hit by Hurricane Maria, a category 4 storm that left the island in a blackout for months, killed more than 3,000 people and devastated the territory’s economy.

Hurricane Fiona is expected to land in the Dominican Republic on September 19.