Bermuda minister warns third hurricane of this yr’s Atlantic hurricane season ‘will not be a storm to be taken frivolously’.
Hurricane Ernesto has made landfall in Bermuda and is predicted to batter the British island territory with highly effective winds, a harmful storm surge and doubtlessly lethal flooding, in keeping with native authorities.
The Class 1 storm was immediately over Bermuda – dwelling to about 64,000 individuals – at 6am native time (09:00 GMT) on Saturday, with most sustained winds of 140km/h (87mph).
Ernesto is predicted to slowly depart Bermuda over the course of the day, in keeping with the Nationwide Hurricane Middle (NHC) in the US.
It would then transfer north-northeast on a monitor that might take it close to or east of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador on Monday evening, the NHC mentioned.
Ernesto beforehand battered the northeastern Caribbean, leaving a whole lot of 1000’s of individuals with out energy or water in Puerto Rico after swiping previous the US territory as a tropical storm.
Harmful surf and rip currents are additionally potential in Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas and Atlantic Canada over the subsequent few days, in keeping with the NHC.
Aug 17: #Ernesto made landfall on Bermuda at 430 AM AST. Sturdy Winds, harmful storm surge, and life-threatening flooding anticipated to proceed on Bermuda right this moment. For the most recent go to https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ
Radar Picture courtesy of Bermuda Climate Service pic.twitter.com/xAUVd4jaUr
— Nationwide Hurricane Middle (@NHC_Atlantic) August 17, 2024
In preparation for the storm’s arrival in Bermuda, officers suspended public transportation and closed the airport on Friday evening.
“Hurricane Ernesto significantly threatens our neighborhood,” mentioned Nationwide Safety Minister Michael Weeks. “This isn’t a storm to be taken frivolously.”
By Friday afternoon, Ernesto’s winds had knocked out energy to five,400 of Bermuda’s 36,000 prospects, the ability utility BELCO mentioned. The corporate mentioned it had known as its restore crews again from the sector as a result of it was too harmful to work.
In Puerto Rico, greater than 180,000 individuals had been nonetheless with out energy greater than two days after the storm’s passage.
One other 170,000 had been with out water because the Nationwide Climate Service issued yet one more extreme warmth advisory, warning of “dangerously sizzling and humid situations”.
“It’s not straightforward,” Andres Cabrera, 60, who lives within the north coastal metropolis of Carolina and had no water or energy, instructed The Related Press information company.
Like many in Puerto Rico, he couldn’t afford a generator or photo voltaic panels. Cabrera mentioned he was relying “on the wind that is available in from the road” for aid.
Within the neighbouring US Virgin Islands, crews had been additionally working to revive energy, with 80 % of consumers again on-line.
Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this yr’s Atlantic hurricane season.
The Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this yr due to record-warm ocean temperatures.
It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with 4 to seven main hurricanes.
