Hurricane Ernesto has intensified into a Category 1 storm and is now barreling towards Bermuda, prompting officials to issue urgent warnings and preparation orders. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that Ernesto, currently located about 1,160 kilometers south-southwest of Bermuda, is expected to strengthen further and could become a major Category 3 hurricane by Friday.’Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion,’ the NHC warned. Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s Minister of National Security, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, ‘Now is not the time for complacency. We are preparing for the worst’. The storm is forecast to bring prolonged strong winds, flash flooding, and a dangerous storm surge to Bermuda, with potential rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, and isolated areas receiving up to 12 inches.In its wake, Ernesto has left a trail of destruction in Puerto Rico. Nearly half a million homes and businesses remain without power, representing about a third of all customers on the island. The power outages, combined with water shortages affecting hundreds of thousands, have raised serious health concerns amid sweltering heat. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory, warning of ‘dangerously hot and humid conditions’.’It’s frustrating that, after so many years, we still see widespread power outages in Puerto Rico, particularly given the risk that these outages can pose to vulnerable households,’ said Charlotte Gossett Navarro, executive director of the Hispanic Federation for Puerto Rico. The situation is particularly dire for those unable to afford generators or solar panels, with one resident, Faustino Peguero, describing the situation as ‘chaos’.While Ernesto is expected to remain well west of the U.S. East Coast as it moves northward, the NHC warns that it will still produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the eastern seaboard. This marks the fifth named storm and third hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which is predicted to be one of the most active in decades.
Key points
- Hurricane Ernesto has intensified to Category 1 and is expected to become a Category 3 hurricane as it approaches Bermuda.
- Nearly half a million homes and businesses in Puerto Rico remain without power after Ernesto’s passage.
- Bermuda officials are urging immediate preparations for the approaching storm.
- The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be one of the most active in decades.
Contradictions👾While most sources agree on Ernesto’s potential to reach Category 3 strength, one source mentions it as a Category 1 hurricane with no specific mention of further intensification.
