<\/p>\n
Hurricane Maria has knocked out power to the entire island of Puerto Rico, home to 3.5m people, emergency officials have said.<\/p>\n
Abner G\u00f3mez, head of the disaster management agency, said the hurricane had damaged \u201ceverything in its path\u201d.<\/p>\n
None of the customers of Puerto Rico\u2019s Electric Power Authority had any electricity, he said.<\/p>\n
Maria weakened to a category three storm with winds of 115 mph (185km\/h) as it moved across the island.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe information we received is not encouraging,\u201d Mr G\u00f3mez told a briefing, urging people to stay in their homes.<\/p>\n
Earlier, Puerto Rico\u2019s governor asked President Donald Trump to declare the island a disaster area after the storm unleashed heavy flooding and life-threatening winds.<\/p>\n
Governor Ricardo Rossello said major damage was inevitable, although 500 shelters had been established to protect people.<\/p>\n
The devastating storm has already left seven people dead on the island of Dominica, which was badly affected on Monday.<\/p>\n
Aerial footage shows flattened houses and the death toll on Dominica is likely to rise, with details remaining scant as communication links are down.<\/p>\n
Images shared on social media show roofs being stripped away as winds as strong as 140 mph (225 km\/h) whipped trees and power lines in Puerto Rico\u2019s capital city, San Juan.<\/p>\n
The US territory is facing $73bn (\u00a353bn) in public debt and the damage left by Maria could exacerbate its financial crisis. Declaring a disaster would mean the island could receive more federal assistance in its recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cGod is with us; we are stronger than any hurricane,\u201d Mr Rossello said. \u201cTogether we will rise again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maria made landfall in Yabucoa in the east of Puerto Rico early on Wednesday as a category four storm, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). It was the first category four hurricane to directly hit the island since 1932.<\/p>\n
Hours earlier, Maria barreled through the US Virgin Islands\u2019 St Croix as a category five storm, sustaining winds of up to 175mph (281km\/h).<\/p>\n
There was flooding in the French territory of Guadeloupe, where one person was killed by a falling tree and another died on the seafront. At least two others were missing after their ship sank near Desirade, the easternmost island in the archipelago.<\/p>\n
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Source: BBC<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n