The eye of Hurricane Maria made landfall near Yabucoa in Puerto Rico at 6.15am EDT (11.15am BST) this morning as it continued its destructive path across the Caribbean.
The Category Four storm was whipping winds at 155mph when it crashed into Puerto Rico causing widespread destruction.
In the footage, David Begnaud, a reporter for CBS described the extreme conditions in Puerto Rico.
He said: “These are the worst winds we have seen. The national weather service is telling people you can expect wind gusts of up to 150mph for the next two to three hours.
“We are in a safe spot, these are safety goggles, not trying to look cool.
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“There’s pieces of buildings in the area, that are flying off through the air like little missiles.
“People inside the hotel where we are, are still sheltered in an emergency stairwell. Portions of the ceiling are still collapsing.
“There is nobody in the street right now and every police officer in the area, is inside this parking garage, where we are right now, taking shelter.
“No one is out on the street and anybody who needs help can not have it right now.”
NBC and MSNBC meteorologist Bill Karins has reported that homes have already been destroyed in the city.
He tweeted: “Reports of historic wood homes destroyed in Fajardo, even blown away.”
Thousands of Puerto Ricans were told before the storm made landfall to “evacuate or die” after it devastated the island of Dominica.
US Virgin Islands governor Kenneth Mapp warned residents: “You lose your life the moment you start thinking about how to save a few bucks to stop something from crashing or burning or falling apart.
“The only thing that matters is the safety of your family, and your children, and yourself. The rest of the stuff, forget it.”
The latest NHC advisory said “extremely dangerous” Maria is likely to drench Puerto Rico with up to 25 inches of rainfall.