Hurricane Maria’s potency was captured on camera when the then-category 4 storm made landfall in the city of Guayama on Wednesday.
Smashing into Puerto Rico with winds of up to 250 km/h, Maria ripped the roofs off buildings, knocked out phones and electricity across the island and turned low-lying roads into swollen rivers awash with debris.
These are some of the images coming out of Puerto Rico. This is the town of Utuado. The island is devastated. pic.twitter.com/2eXaU8i28L
— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) September 21, 2017
Uprooted trees and widespread flooding blocked many highways and streets across the Caribbean nation, and a 6am to 6pm curfew is in place across the country.
With most of Puerto Rico without means of communication, the full extent of the damage remains unclear.
WEATHER-HURRICANE: Terrifying video of the devastation caused by #HurricaneMaria in #PuertoRicopic.twitter.com/SDHOoQ9zjV
— Marco (WCN News) (@meteorologo777) September 21, 2017
The storm will move on from Puerto Rico and head towards the Dominican Republic later on Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Centre.
