Asher Klein

Puerto Rico's Guajataca Dam Still a Danger After Hurricane Maria

"There's no communication. We didn't know where to go," one resident said

A damaged dam remains a potential threat to thousands of people's lives in northwest Puerto Rico Monday, with a flash flood warning put in place Friday continuing through Monday afternoon, NBC News reported.

Guajataca Dam threatens western Quebradillas and eastern Isabela municipalities after Hurricane Maria slammed the U.S. territory, with the National Weather Service warning, "Stay or be swept away."

Gov. Ricardo Rossello said Saturday that 70,000 people could be in danger if the dam failed and urged residents to evacuate, but local officials said only a few did so. The mayor of Isabela said just over 200 people were in shelters.

"We hear a lot of commotion and everybody's running," said David Castro, who learned about the dam from neighbors. "But there's no communication. We didn't know where to go."

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