Hurricane Maria Leaves the Caribbean in Shambles

Heavy rains continue to flood Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic on Thursday, following the passage of Hurricane Maria. Debris litters the streets across the Caribbean—fallen trees, downed power lines, and remnants of buildings.

The third in a string of cataclysmic hurricanes, Maria hit the islands just two weeks after Hurricane Irma devastated the region. The National Hurricane Center predicts that Maria could gain strength as it heads toward the Turks and Caicos Islands on Thursday.

Maria tore through Puerto Rico on Wednesday, destroying homes, dousing streets, and leaving the entire island without power. The hurricane hit the island as a Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, then regained strength as it surged toward the Dominican Republic. The death toll has risen to at least 15 across the region.

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló called Maria the “most devastating storm to hit the island this century, if not in modern history.”

The island might not get power back for four to six months, Ricardo Ramos, chief executive officer of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, told CNN.

On Tuesday, the storm left “mind-boggling” damage in the island nation of Dominica. “We will need help, my friends we will need help of all kinds,” Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit wrote on Facebook, before losing his own roof to the storm.

At least additional help appears to be on the way. President Donald Trump approved disaster declarations for Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands late Wednesday night, making federal funds available to those affected. Below, find photos of the aftermath.