Puerto Rico governor declares state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Irma

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló (D) declared a state of emergency on Monday after a hurricane watch was issued for the U.S. territory due to Hurricane Irma.

Rosselló has activated the National Guard and said that the commonwealth’s government will operate until noon on Tuesday so that property protection plans can be implemented.

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The governor also said that public schools will be canceled on Tuesday, according to a news release from the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration.

The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for Puerto Rico and several other areas due to Irma, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe and British Virgin Islands.

The center said that tropical-storm conditions are possible on Puerto Rico by early Wednesday and that hurricane conditions are possible on Puerto Rico by late Wednesday.