By Nicole Chavez @ CNN, Updated 2:30 PM ET, with video & photos

[....] Without power and communications in much of the island, millions of people, including city leaders and first responders, have been cut off from the world since Maria hit Wednesday.

Authorities flew over the island Saturday, and were stunned by what they saw. No cellphones, water or power. Roads completely washed away and others blocked by debris, isolating residents.

"It was devastating to see all that kind of debris in all areas, in all towns of the island," Jenniffer González, the island's non-voting representative in Congress told CNN. [....]

Army, more federal aid coming

US President Donald Trump has pledged federal help for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.n The Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration said 4,000 members of the US Army Reserves have been deployed to the island to help with Hurricane Maria recovery.

"Federal partners are aggressively working to meet and overcome challenges to opening ports and restoring power to bring additional life-saving commodities and personnel into disaster-affected areas," the Federal Emergency Management Agency said in a statement.

Several flights and sea vessels with meals, water and generators have been arriving or are headed to Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands affected, the agency said.

Brock Long, the FEMA director, said on Twitter Sunday he would visit Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands on Monday.

Puerto Ricans living without water, communication

Residents also have limited access to cell signal, causing panic among families at home and abroad who have been unable to contact their loved ones.

"I know many people who are living in the States are worried about not hearing from their families," González said. "Don't get nervous, we just have problems with communications lines."

More than 95% of the wireless cell sites are currently out of service, the island's Federal Communications Commission said Saturday.

East of Maunabo, in Humacao, people stop their cars along the side of the road near a cell tower on a hill. It's the only access to cellphone service for miles.

 

On the northwest part of the island, authorities had to physically go to thousands of residents to warn them of a potential dam collapse near the Guajataca River.

"We don't know how much longer it will hold," he said. "The structure has been significantly compromised." [.....]