Puerto Rico: Devastated after Hurricane "María"

Maria

, the second major hurricane to hit the Caribbean this month and the most powerful to strike Puerto Rico in nearly a century, carved a path of destruction through the island after plowing ashore early on Wednesday, September 20 .

Arriving as a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale, with top winds of up to 155 mph ( 249.5 kph ), Maria ripped roofs from buildings, turned roads into gushing debris-strewn rivers and knocked out power across the entire island, home to 3.4 million people .

Severe flooding, structural damage to homes and the loss of all electricity, except backup generators, were three of the most pressing problems facing Puerto Ricans.

In Ocean Park , Playita , Cantera, and Santurce there are several obstructed roads, the light poles and the billboards have fallen, and a series of buildings and businesses have been destroyed.

Fallen trees, flooded streets, and debris are what is left of the cities in Puerto Rico.

According to the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) a major disaster was declared on September 20.

Today, emergency communications vehicles left for Puerto Rico to support communities and provide assistance during the crisis.

sg