Storm Dorian Closing in on Puerto Rico Near Hurricane Force

People arrive to a private harbor to move boats away for protection ahead of the arrival of Tropical Storm Dorian in Boqueron, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)   SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico on Wednesday faced its first major test of emergency preparedness since the 2017 devastation of Hurricane Maria as Tropical Storm Dorian neared the U.S. territory at near-hurricane force — and forecasters said it could grow to Category 3 status as it nears the U.S. mainland later. The storm was expected to move near the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, with landslides, widespread flooding and power outages possible in Puerto Rico. The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. Dorian prompted President Donald Trump to declare an emergency Tuesday night and order federal assistance for local authorities. "It's possible it could turn into a hurricane before it reaches Puerto Rico," said Roberto García, director of U.S. National Weather Service San Juan, during a press conference on Wednesday. However, he said the forecast could keep changing, adding that late shifts occur with storms such as Dorian that do not have a well-defined center. "This is not written in stone. It could change in the next minutes, hours," he said. At 11 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Dorian was located about 25 miles (40 kilometer...
Source: JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services News - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Major Incidents News AP News Tag Source Type: news