Tropical storm Ernesto sends powerful swells, rip currents to US east coast, fatalities and damage reported
The advisory emphasized that rip currents can pose a threat even to experienced swimmers, potentially dragging them from shore into deeper waters.
La Plata river floods a road after Tropical Storm Ernesto passed through Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. (AP) Tropical Storm Ernesto, after moving away from Bermuda on Sunday and heading further into the northeastern Atlantic, continued to impact the US East Coast with powerful swells and dangerous rip currents, according to the Associated Press (AP).
These hazardous conditions have been linked to at least one fatality and prompted numerous rescues along the coastline.
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood advisory, warning of a high risk for rip currents along the Atlantic Coast from Florida to Boston, with the danger expected to persist through Monday evening.
The advisory emphasized that rip currents can pose a threat even to experienced swimmers, potentially dragging them from shore into deeper waters.
Meteorologist Mike Lee from Mount Holly from New Jersey, cautioned, “It’s going to be really dangerous out in the water today,” underscoring the seriousness of the situation, as reported by AP.
A powerful storm brought treacherous conditions to the East Coast, resulting in multiple rescues and tragic losses.
In New Jersey, a fisherman was swept off a jetty and rescued by lifeguards, suffering injuries. Eight people were also rescued in Ventnor.
However, a 41-year-old man drowned in a rip current in Surf City, North Carolina, and two men lost their lives in separate incidents on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
The storm’s fury extended beyond the water, causing the collapse of a beach house in Cape Hatteras National Seashore and significant damage to oceanfront structures in Rodanthe, prompting officials to warn the public to avoid the area. Cleanup efforts are ongoing.
The storm also triggered flash flood warnings in parts of Connecticut and southeastern New York, with similar advisories issued for areas in Delaware, New Jersey, and southeastern Pennsylvania.
In East Hampton, Long Island, Mayor Jerry Larsen reported that beaches were closed over the weekend due to high tides that pushed water up to the base of the dunes, making it unsafe for beachgoers.
“It’s quite a sight to see the water coming up almost to the parking lot,” Larsen said, noting that the storm’s effects were visible even though it was hundreds of miles offshore.
The town’s annual fireworks show was canceled on both Saturday and Sunday nights due to the conditions, AP reported.
After battering Bermuda with intense rain and strong winds, Ernesto weakened to a tropical storm on Saturday.
However, it’s expected to regain hurricane strength as it heads into the northeastern Atlantic. Bermuda is recovering, with businesses reopening and power restoration efforts underway.
While half of the island’s power customers have electricity, around 8,000 remain without it. Ernesto also caused significant disruptions in the northeastern Caribbean, particularly in Puerto Rico, where thousands lost water access.
The island’s power company, LUMA, has restored electricity to over 1.4 million customers, but more than 59,000 still await power restoration.
Despite the challenges, the Virgin Islands Department of Education announced that public schools would resume operations on Monday, with Puerto Rico’s public schools also set to open nearly a week after their original scheduled date.
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