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Puerto Rico bracing for Tropical Storm Fiona
Puerto Rico is in Tropical Storm Fiona's path and the island is concerned about flooding, life-threatening mudslides, and power outages.
Lake Mary, Fla. - Puerto Rico is in Tropical Storm Fiona's path and the island is concerned about flooding, life-threatening mudslides, and power outages.
Tropical Storm Fiona is expected to wreak havoc in Puerto Rico on Saturday night and is expected to bring a foot of rain. Millions of people are getting ready to take shelter.
"We close the doors, we put the storm protection, and wait. We just wait," said Elliot Santiago who lives in Puerto Rico.
Fiona is expected to make landfall in Puerto Rico on Saturday night, which is almost exactly five years after Hurricane Maria caused massive devastation to the island.
Santiago, a clinical psychologist, said Hurricane Maria caused anxiety and depression for many people and Tropical Storm Fiona is resurfacing those feelings.
"In the past, Maria represented loss," said Santiago. "It represented the loss of homes, loved ones, things that affected their daily living."
Thousands of Puerto Ricans took refuge in Florida following Hurricane Maria. Some people stayed and many returned to the island that's still recovering. The Puerto Rico Chamber Of Commerce Central Florida says they are ready to help if needed.
"It’s ironic that five years later as we are coming back to some level of normalcy we have another tropical storm coming through," said Jorge Figueroa, with the organization. "We are a fragile infrastructure. People are still constructing houses. So, if we get hit with another substantial hurricane we will go back a couple of steps."