Hurricane Fiona heads toward the US Virgin Islands, Caribbean.

Former Tropical Storm Fiona was upgraded to Hurricane Fiona today, with the eye of the storm making landfall in the extreme southwest of the island on Sunday afternoon. There, widespread destruction is forecast over the next 48 hours, causing “life-threatening flooding,” according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in San Juan, along with mudslides, rockfalls and power outages.

Airlines in the nearby US Virgin Islands (USVI) canceled flights to two USVI airports on September 18 – Henry E. Rohalson Airport on St. Croix and Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas. Both airports will be closed until at least 12:00 p.m. on Monday, September 19, the USVI Tourism Department announced Sunday.

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The US Coast Guard has closed all USVI seaports as of 10:00 a.m. on Friday, September 16 and will remain closed until further notice.

Fiona is currently moving northwest over Puerto Rico, with the storm’s areas hitting the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, where the storm is expected to remain stable and dangerous through Monday.

The USVI has already been swept by the storm’s outer rainband, with sustained winds of 45 mph and gusts of up to 75 mph, and up to six inches of rain expected to fall on the islands.

“The National Weather Service has lifted its hurricane watch advisory for the US Virgin Islands; however, the state remains under a tropical storm warning and flash flood watch as Hurricane Fiona continues its path toward Puerto Rico,” the USVI’s official tourism website wrote in an advisory this afternoon. .

“While there were no reports of damage or destruction on the islands, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. urged residents to stay indoors as the storm continues,” the announcement said. “Visitors are encouraged to take precautions and contact airlines, hotels, car rental companies, tour operators, etc. to find out what measures they plan to take or what policies the businesses have in place.”

USVI Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte said, “As the US Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, our top priority is the safety and comfort of our residents and visitors. We advise everyone to take proper precautions and stay at home. We send our warmest thoughts and prayers to the islands of Puerto Rico and the BVI.

“On the forecast track, the center of Fiona will move tonight and Monday near the northern coast of the Dominican Republic and near or east of the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) wrote. Advice given on Sunday.

Fiona’s direction is expected to turn north-northwest on Tuesday. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the adjacent British Virgin Islands (BVI), Turks and Caicos, and southeastern Bahamas, including Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, Inaguas, Mayaguana, and Ragged Islands.

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