3K US emergency workers to Puerto Rico ahead of storm

WASHINGTON

The federal government has sent 3,000 emergency responders to Puerto Rico as Tropical Storm Dorian approaches, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said Tuesday.

Puerto Rico is still recovering from Hurricane Maria, which destroyed and flooded large swathes of the island in 2017.

FEMA said emergency communications, logistics and transportation teams have been deployed on the U.S. territory as Dorian approaches.

The emergency response agency urged residents on Twitter to monitor weather alerts and complete storm preparations.

Puerto Rico declared late Monday a state of emergency as forecasters warn Dorian could strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane as it gains strength in the Atlantic Ocean. The storm is expected to cross near or run through parts of western and southern Puerto Rico on Wednesday.

Dorian is currently on a path to skirt the island, but the National Hurricane Center warned it could bring "heavy rainfall" over parts of Puerto Rico, the Lesser Antilles and the Dominican Republic that could result in flash floods.

Rainfall in the southern and western Puerto Rico is expected to be between 4 and 6 inches with isolated areas receiving as much as 8 inches.

The center emphasized that uncertainty over the storm's strength remains "higher than usual" due to its path along the island divided between Haiti and the Dominican Republican, and Puerto Rico.

A tropical storm warning has been issued for parts of the eastern Dominican Republic.

U.S. President Donald Trump chimed in on Twitter, noting congressional appropriations for Puerto Rico, which he said are "an all time record of its kind for 'anywhere.'"

"Wow! Yet another big storm heading to Puerto Rico. Will it ever end?" he asked, apparently rhetorically.