Puerto Rico braced for heavy hit from hurricane

Hurricane Maria barrelled towards Puerto Rico after wreaking widespread devastation on Dominica and leaving the small Caribbean island virtually incommunicado.

As rains began to lash Puerto Rico, Governor Ricardo Rossello warned that Maria could hit “with a force and violence that we haven’t seen for several generations”.

Rossello added that a likely islandwide power outage and communication blackout could last for days.

Authorities warned that people in wooden or flimsy homes should find safe shelter before the storm’s expected arrival today.

“You have to evacuate. Otherwise, you’re going to die,” said Hector Pesquera, the island’s public safety commissioner.

Yesterday, the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami said Maria’s winds had intensified to 280 km/h and more strengthening was possible.

The storm knocked out communications for the entire country of Dominica, leaving anyone outside struggling to determine the extent of damage, though it was clearly widespread.

Consul General Barbara Dailey said from New York that when she lost contact with the island, officials had learned that 70 per cent of homes had lost their roofs, including her own.

“I lost everything,” she said, adding there had been no word on casualties.

“As a Category five it would be naive not to expect any [injuries] but I don’t know how many.”