3 more towns added to state of emergency as heavy rains continue

By The Star Staff

Three municipalities have officially been added to the state of emergency declared by Gov. Jenniffer González Colón due to the torrential rains that have relentlessly battered numerous regions of Puerto Rico since April 19, as announced by Public Safety Secretary Arturo Garffer.

In a press release issued on Sunday, Garffer confirmed that González Colón had approved the urgent request to include the towns of Ciales, Cidra and Utuado in the emergency declaration.

The decision follows a thorough field assessment and a comprehensive review of documentation provided by the municipal governments, which highlighted significant damage that demands immediate attention.

During a tour of highway PR-615 in the Pozas de Ciales neighborhood, Garffer observed firsthand the extensive destruction caused by the relentless rains from a stationary trough that had been pounding the area for the previous eight days. He also visited several other municipalities severely impacted by the recent rainfall, now included in the governor’s emergency declaration.

After diminishing overnight Saturday into Sunday, the rain intensified again on Sunday afternoon, raising flood and landslide risk in the most affected regions. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flash flood warning through Sunday night. More frequent showers and thunderstorms were forecast for this afternoon.

As rainfall continued through Saturday afternoon, the danger on the island’s interior roads escalated. The NWS strongly urged the public to exercise heightened caution while driving.

With the most recent action as of press time Sunday, the scope of the state of emergency was extended to include additional municipalities beyond Thursday’s original executive order, which had been for Aguas Buenas, Corozal, Naranjito and Orocovis.

Garffer emphasized that, as part of interagency coordination efforts, he assessed the most severely affected areas in Ciales, Orocovis, Naranjito and Aguas Buenas on Saturday, accompanied by their respective mayors: Jesús Resto (Ciales), Jesús “Gardy” Colón Berlingeri (Orocovis), Orlando Ortiz (Naranjito) and Karina Nieves (Aguas Buenas).

During those visits the officials addressed the reported damage and the urgent requirements of each community.

Meanwhile, the central government will have access to the Emergency Reserve to deal with flooding caused by heavy rains, following the approval of a request by the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico.

The request was made by Office of Management and Budget Executive Director Orlando Rivera on behalf of the governor. The approval fulfills the emergency declaration issued in Thursday’s Executive Order 2025-022.

The oversight board also approved the disbursement of $100,000 from the Emergency Reserve to the municipalities of Aguas Buenas, Corozal, Naranjito and Orocovis, as mentioned in the executive order.

The Emergency Reserve is designed to expedite response activities and provide funding to affected state agencies and local government entities when an emergency surpasses the capacity of current budgetary resources and when federal disaster assistance is unavailable or not yet accessible. It is intended for extraordinary events, such as natural disasters or other unforeseen situations agreed upon by the oversight board that are beyond human control.

“We note that Puerto Rico is currently experiencing an extraordinary rainfall event, which is causing severe flooding in certain areas. This situation requires the activation of resources to respond to emergencies and assist with recovery and cleanup efforts,” states a letter dated May 2 and signed by the board’s executive director, Robert Mujica. “Therefore, the Oversight Board authorizes access to the Emergency Reserve for expenses related to the emergency response for a period of fifteen (15) days from the date of this letter.”

Vega Alta Mayor María Vega Pagán requested on Sunday that the government include her municipality in its state of emergency declaration due to the severe impact of the persistent heavy rains and ongoing flooding that have caused an estimated $7 million in damages.

After declaring a state of emergency in Vega Alta, Vega Pagán sought emergency financial support from the governor.

“This has been an odyssey -- a daily challenge that keeps growing and shows no signs of stopping,” the mayor said. “I fear the damage will be much greater. We need La Fortaleza to intervene because the municipality cannot afford the repairs,” the mayor stated.

Vega Pagán received a visit from Natural and Environmental Resources Secretary Waldemar Quiles Peréz, who came to personally assess the situation. The mayor said the relentless rains have caused serious urban flooding in numerous parts of the northern coastal municipality.

The mayor has taken a hands-on approach to coordinate the response to the crisis, which has impacted virtually the entire population.

“Although the drainage systems were nearly cleared due to a recent flood mitigation campaign by the municipal Public Works Department, the intensity of the downpours exceeded their capacity,” Vega Pagán said.

The beach areas have been particularly hard hit, she added, as storm surges are hindering effective drainage of runoff into the sea.

Vega Pagán, along with her team and municipal support staff, has been visiting the most affected areas, including Cerro Gordo, La Balandra, Breñas, Cielo Dorado, San Nicolás, Ponderosa, Machuchal and Sabana Hoyos, working to keep access roads clear.

“Emergency Management personnel and the Municipal Police have been working tirelessly since last night to respond to various situations,” the mayor stressed, warning that if the rain continues, nearly thirty families could be stranded. “The most concerning issue is the collapse of the Quebrada retaining wall and the road in that area, which will require at least $3 million to repair.”

In the town’s Machuchal sector, flooding has been a frequent problem for years, largely due to increased water flow from a stream that runs through the area. Although the Federal Emergency Management Agency previously allocated funds for mitigation of past damages, the lack of a hydrologist to conduct the necessary study has delayed the work.

In Cidra, meanwhile, Mayor Delvis Pagán Clavijo had requested previously that the central government declare a state of emergency to urgently address the damage reported in communities, vulnerable areas and roads, especially Highway 172, which is used by the majority of Cidra residents.

“The situation is difficult, especially on state highways,” the mayor said. “We have landslides, fallen trees and impassable roads. This requires urgent action and collaboration between the municipality and the state government.”

Pagán Clavijo sent an official letter to the governor requesting the declaration and received a call from the governor to learn more details about the impact on the municipality. As part of the immediate measures, the mayor signed an executive order Sunday declaring a state of emergency in the municipality to expedite resources and operational responses.

Municipal Public Works personnel, along with the Emergency Management team, were activated early in the day to conduct cleanup work, remove debris and provide direct assistance to the most affected communities.

“We have deployed our operational team to address the landslides, clean up, and clear roads,” Pagán Clavijo said. “We’re not going to wait; we’re on the streets, serving our people, but we need state support to expand our response.”

The request for help from the central government was answered hours later with Cidra’s inclusion in the extended state of emergency.

As a safety measure, the mayor asked citizens to avoid leaving their homes unless strictly necessary.

“The priority is to protect life,” he said.