HURRICANE FIONA LEFT HUNDREDS of people stranded across Puerto Rico

HURRICANE FIONA LEFT HUNDREDS of people stranded across Puerto Rico after smashing roads and bridges, with authorities still struggling to reach them four days after the storm smacked the United States territory, causing historic flooding.
Government officials have been working with religious groups, nonprofits and others braving landslides, thick mud and broken asphalt by foot to provide food, water and medicine for people in need, but they are under pressure to clear a path so vehicles can enter isolated areas soon.
Nino Correa, the commissioner for Puerto Rico's emergency management agency, estimated that at least six municipalities across the island had areas that were cut off by Fiona, which struck as a Category 1 hurricane and was up to Category 4 power Thursday as it headed toward Bermuda.
Fiona sparked an islandwide blackout when it hit Puerto Rico's southwest region, which already was still trying to recover from a series of strong earthquakes in recent years.
Some 62% of 1.47 million customers remained without power Thursday, four days after the storm, amid an extreme heat alert issued by the National Weather Service.
More than a half million people remained without water service three days after Hurricane Fiona, and many spent hours in lines Wednesday to fill jugs from water trucks while others scooped water from mountain runoff.

Elizabeth Swan
Senior Staff Reporter
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