Bermuda minister warns third hurricane of this yr’s Atlantic hurricane season ‘isn’t a storm to be taken calmly’.
Hurricane Ernesto has made landfall in Bermuda, leaving tens of 1000’s of individuals with out energy because it lashed the British island territory with highly effective winds, a harmful storm surge and doubtlessly lethal flooding.
The Category 1 storm introduced most sustained winds of 140km/h (87mph) to Bermuda – residence to about 64,000 individuals – at 6am native time (09:00 GMT) on Saturday.
Electrical utility BELCO stated the storm triggered practically island-wide outages, with about 26,100 of roughly 36,000 clients with out energy at 9am (13:00 GMT).
Ernesto is anticipated to slowly depart Bermuda over the course of the day, in line with the Nationwide Hurricane Middle (NHC) in america.
It should then transfer north-northeast on a observe that will take it close to or east of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador on Monday night time, the NHC stated.
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 line with the NHC.
Aug 17: #Ernesto made landfall on Bermuda at 430 AM AST. Robust Winds, harmful storm surge, and life-threatening flooding anticipated to proceed on Bermuda immediately. 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 night time.
“Hurricane Ernesto severely threatens our neighborhood,” stated Nationwide Safety Minister Michael Weeks. “This isn’t a storm to be taken calmly.”
By Friday afternoon, Ernesto’s winds had knocked out energy to five,400 of Bermuda’s 36,000 clients, the ability utility BELCO stated. The corporate stated it had referred to as its restore crews again from the sphere 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 one more extreme warmth advisory, warning of “dangerously sizzling and humid circumstances”.
“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 stated 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 p.c of shoppers 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.
