Hurricane Fiona: Philadelphia's Latino community rallying for loved ones impacted in Puerto Rico
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Hurricane Fiona is now blasting the Turks and Caicos Islands. It roared ashore as a category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour.
Meanwhile, in Puerto Rico, at least two people have died because of the hurricane. Most people in the United States territory still don't have power or running water.
Tuesday marks five years since Hurricane Maria devastated the island.
Some people who lived through Maria say Fiona's flooding destruction could be even more severe. The National Hurricane Center says parts of the territory could see more than 30 inches of rain by the end of the storm.
In the Philadelphia region, the local Latino community is rallying for loved ones in Puerto Rico and are impacted by Fiona. Eyewitness News spoke with one woman in Cherry Hill who is still waiting to hear from many of her loved ones in Puerto Rico.
She says seeing the flooding and the destruction caused by Fiona is like re-opening old wounds and some fear the damage this time could be worse.
"It's been very emotional for me in the past 24 hours and I'm sure it has been for anybody that has family in Puerto Rico," Blanca Martir said.
The images are devastating after Hurricane Fiona slammed Puerto Rico causing catastrophic flooding and most of the island remains without power and water.
"Most of them do have generators, but their concern is what's going to happen if there's no gasoline for those generators," Martir said.
Blanca Martir is with the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses. The group has been delivering medical supplies and equipment to Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria hit five years ago.
Now, Fiona could change the focus of their mission in November.
"We were taking supplies like undergarments, bandages and things that people can use, and now we may have to switch back to flashlights, batteries and solar lamps," Martir said.
Wanda Mora lost her 80-year-old father, Jose, during Hurricane Maria. She says seeing what's going on now took her back.
She feels like she's reliving that nightmare as she works to get in touch with other loved ones with communication still spotty on the island.
"Some of my cousins, at least two of them, have lost, one has lost a lot of stuff, but the other one lost everything," Mora said.
Many local groups are gathering information on what supplies are now needed in Puerto Rico.
Wanda says she is planning a trip in two weeks to check on her family and property and to access the best way to help the island.
