Atlantic island territory, which has seen fewer than a dozen hurricanes since 1850, braces for dangerous storm surge
Hurricane Ernesto Bears Down on Bermuda as Category 2 Storm
Hurricane Ernesto Hits Bermuda as Deadly Flood Warnings Are Issued On Friday, Hurricane Ernesto struck Bermuda as a Category 2 storm, unleashing strong winds, a dangerous storm surge, and the threat of severe flooding on the British island territory.
By 8 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (0000 GMT Saturday), Ernesto was centered about 95 miles (150 km) south-southwest of Bermuda, packing sustained winds of up to 100 mph (155 km/h) and the potential to drop up to 9 inches (230 mm) of rain, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane is forecasted to pass near or over Bermuda on Saturday morning, setting the stage for storm surges and flash flooding by the afternoon. “Folks, be under no illusion. This storm is the real deal,” warned Bermuda’s National Security Minister Michael Weeks during a Friday press conference. He advised residents to prepare for 36 hours of hurricane and tropical storm-force winds starting Friday afternoon.
The storm has already caused power outages affecting 5,400 of Bermuda’s 36,000 customers, with utility company Belco suspending repair work due to dangerous conditions.
Warren Darrell, 52, from Smith’s Parish, said he had stocked up on groceries, secured his home, and moved outdoor furniture in anticipation of Ernesto’s arrival. “I’m ready to play games with my daughters and wait,” he said. “I’m a bit worried, but I think we’ll overcome. I think we’ll be fine.”
Winds, heavy rain, and strong rip currents began intensifying just before noon at John Smith’s Bay on Bermuda’s Main Island. The government decided to close a causeway bridge linking to St George’s Island on Friday night. Despite worsening conditions, some locals and tourists were seen on the south shore, with one person windsurfing as the waves grew larger before 2 p.m.
Bermuda, a cluster of 181 small islands situated over 600 miles (965 km) off the Carolina coast, is expected to experience hurricane conditions until Sunday, according to Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center.
Historically, fewer than a dozen hurricanes have made direct landfall on Bermuda since records began in the 1850s.
Earlier this week, Ernesto had grazed Puerto Rico as a tropical storm, causing heavy rainfall and power outages for about half of the island’s 1.5 million residents. As of Friday morning, around 250,000 homes and businesses in Puerto Rico remained without power, according to Luma Energy, the island’s main electricity distributor.
Puerto Rico’s power grid is known for its fragility, having suffered prolonged outages in recent years from storms more powerful than Ernesto.
Ernesto is the fifth named storm of what is expected to be a vigorous Atlantic hurricane season. Just last week, the slow-moving Hurricane Debby made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 1 storm before bringing up to 2 feet of rain to parts of the Carolinas.
