Bermuda minister warns third hurricane of this 12 months’s Atlantic hurricane season ‘will not be a storm to be taken calmly’.
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 probably lethal flooding, in line with native authorities.
The Class 1 storm was immediately over Bermuda – residence 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 line with the Nationwide Hurricane Middle (NHC) in the USA.
It should then transfer north-northeast on a observe that might take it close to or east of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador on Monday night time, the NHC mentioned.
Ernesto beforehand battered the northeastern Caribbean, leaving a whole bunch of hundreds 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 at the moment. For the newest 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,” mentioned 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 prospects, the facility 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 have been nonetheless with out energy greater than two days after the storm’s passage.
One other 170,000 have been with out water because the Nationwide Climate Service issued 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, informed 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 reduction.
Within the neighbouring US Virgin Islands, crews have 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 12 months’s Atlantic hurricane season.
The Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this 12 months due to record-warm ocean temperatures.
It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with 4 to seven main hurricanes.