CLEVELAND — It takes nine hours to fly from Cleveland to Puerto Rico, but people who have family there are feeling that distance and anxiety on a munch deeper level after Hurricane Fiona walloped the island.
Rosa Morales, a teacher at Lincoln West High School, is one of those people. Her family still living in the territory had to move into the mountains to get to safety, but fortunately, they've been able to communicate with her.
Still, Rosa feels like her hands are tied because she can't do anything to help them right now.
"You're not on safe ground because of the flooding," Morales said of her relatives. "You're not safe on the hills or in the mountains because of movement of ground and everything happening. A bunch of mudslides are taking homes right now.
"There's no drinking water right now unless you already stored it. ... It's not like you can just into the convenience store right now – everything is closed right now. Schools are closed for the next few weeks, as well."
Rosa told 3News many municipalities in Puerto Rico have safe zones, a school or church with generators to help residents and families communicate with each other. When we asked what her family's plan was for the next few weeks, she said, "Survival," such as rationing food and water.
Morales is planning on going to Puerto Rico on Oct. 8 to help with cleanup efforts, and has established the "Lifting Puerto Rico" project to raise money for supplies. You can donate here.