By EDM Digest Staff
The Guajataca Dam in Puerto Rico burst at 2:10 p.m. local time Friday, according to news reports from the National Weather Service in San Juan. The dam failure led to authorities issuing a flash flood emergency to communities located downstream in the Isabela and Quebradillas areas. The region is located in the northwest section of the island, which is a U.S territory.
According to the official Twitter account for the National Weather Service of San Juan, Puerto Rico, “This is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. Buses are currently evacuating people from the area as quickly as they can.”
While the extent of the dam failure and its impact to communities downstream has yet to be determined, authorities and emergency personnel are communicating to residents under the order to evacuate to flee to higher ground.
The developing emergency situation comes on the heels of Hurricane Maria, which is being reported as “the most powerful storm to strike Puerto Rico in more than 80 years,” according to the Washington Post.
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