An entire country goes dark: Puerto Rico without power as Hurricane Maria strikes; take a look

The strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in more than 80 years destroyed hundreds of homes, knocked out power across the entire island and turned some streets into raging rivers Wednesday in an onslaught that could plunge the US territory deeper into financial crisis. Leaving at least nine people dead in its wake across the Caribbean, Hurricane Maria blew ashore in the morning near the southeast coastal town of Yabucoa as a Category 4 storm with winds of 155 mph (250 kph). It punished the island of 3.4 million people with life-threatening winds for several hours, the second time in two weeks that Puerto Rico has felt the wrath of a hurricane. As people waited in shelters or took cover inside stairwells, bathrooms and closets, Maria brought down cell towers and power lines, snapped trees, tore off roofs and unloaded at least 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain. Widespread flooding was reported, with dozens of cars half-submerged in some neighborhoods and many streets turned into rivers. People calling local radio stations reported that doors were being torn off their hinges and a water tank flew away.

Take a look at some of the images from Carribean island which is devastated by Hurricane Maria:

Damaged electrical installations are seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria en Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

A man looks for valuables in the damaged house of a relative after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

Damaged houses are seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico September 20, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Cars drive past a damaged traffic light after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria en Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

The strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in more than 80 years destroyed hundreds of homes. (Reuters)

A police officer walks next to damaged electrical installations after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria en Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

Damages are seen in a supermarket after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

A woman reacts while she looks at the damages in the house of her mother after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

Rescue personnel from the Emergency Management Agency drive through a flooded road after Hurricane Maria hit the eastern region of the island, in Humacao, Puerto Rico. (AP Photo)

People walk next to a gas station flooded and damaged by the impact of Hurricane Maria, which hit the eastern region of the island, in Humacao, Puerto Rico. (AP Photo)

Many people feared extended power outages would further sink businesses struggling amid a recession that has lasted more than a decade. (Reuters)

Even before the storm, Puerto Rico's electrical grid was crumbling and the island was in dire condition financially. (Reuters)

Damaged electrical installations are seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria en Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

Residents move aluminum panels from an intersection after Hurricane Maria hit the eastern region of the island, in Humacao, Puerto Rico. (AP Photo)

A damaged house is seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria en Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

A family helps clean the road after Hurricane Maria hit the eastern region of the island, in Humacao, Puerto Rico. The strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in more than 80 years destroyed hundreds of homes, knocked out power across the entire island and turned some streets into raging rivers in an onslaught that could plunge the U.S. territory deeper into financial crisis. (AP Photo)

A man walks next to damaged houses and fallen trees after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

Damaged boats are seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Puerto de Jobos, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

As the storm closed in on the Dominican Republic, about 4,000 tourists in the Bavara-Punta Cana area on the eastern tip of the island were moved to hotels in Santo Domingo, the capital. (Reuters)

A flooded road is seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

A damaged pier is seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Puerto de Jobos, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

A boat is seen on a flooded street after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Puerto de Jobos, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

Toys are seen in a damaged house after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

A woman reacts while looking at the damage to her house after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

A woman cuts a fallen tree into pieces after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

Debris and damaged electrical installations are seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria en Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

A damaged banana plantation is seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria en Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

A man rides a bicycle next to a flooded road after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria in Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)

Damaged houses and fallen trees are seen after the area was hit by Hurricane Maria en Guayama, Puerto Rico. (Reuters)