Hurricane Ernesto: Puerto Rico in crisis, Bermuda braces for major storm

Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s National Security Minister, emphasised the importance of preparation: “I cannot stress enough how important it is for every resident to use this time to prepare. We have seen in the past the devastating effects of complacency.”

Ernesto is predicted to reach near Category 3 status before weakening as it nears Bermuda, where it is expected to bring between four to eight inches of rain, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to 12 inches. The National Hurricane Center described the storm as “a large hurricane near Bermuda.”

This GOES-16 GeoColor satellite image taken at 4:30 p.m. EDT and provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Tropical Storm Ernesto over the Atlantic Ocean and moving west-northwest toward the Lesser Antilles, Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (NOAA via AP)

As Ernesto approaches Bermuda, a hurricane watch is in effect, with officials urging residents to prepare for heavy rain, potential flooding, and dangerous surf conditions. The storm’s impact is expected to extend beyond Bermuda, with forecasts indicating it may reach the Canadian coast near Newfoundland early next week. While the US East Coast is not currently under threat, hazardous surf conditions are anticipated.

A man pose with a fish after Tropical Storm Ernesto passed through Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico is grappling with extreme heat and power outages following Ernesto’s passage as a tropical storm earlier this week. The National Weather Service warned of “dangerously hot and humid conditions.”

“All of the guidance indicates this system will be a large hurricane near Bermuda,” stated the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

On Thursday, the storm was generating southern winds in Puerto Rico, which have a heating effect, in contrast to the usual cooling trade winds from the east.

La Plata river floods a road after Tropical Storm Ernesto passed through Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)

“We are aware that many people are still without power,” said Ernesto Morales from the National Weather Service, who also warned about the extreme heat and urged residents to stay hydrated.

Over 450,000 of the island’s 1.4 million residents remained without power more than a day after Ernesto passed Puerto Rico late Tuesday as a tropical storm before intensifying into a hurricane. Additionally, hundreds of thousands were left without water, raising concerns about the extensive power outages, given that Ernesto was only a tropical storm when it affected the island.

Juan Saca from Luma Energy reported on the ongoing efforts to restore power, stating, “We haven’t seen anything catastrophic,” although Alejandro González, Luma’s operations director, refrained from providing a restoration timeline, calling it “irresponsible” to do so.

– With inputs from AP