1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Israel-Hamas warUkraineUS Democratic Party
Nature and EnvironmentUnited States of America

Hurricane Ernesto: Almost half of Puerto Rico without power

August 15, 2024

The hurricane is gathering pace as it heads towards Bermuda. In Puerto Rico, more than 725,000 homes and businesses were without electricity.

https://p.dw.com/p/4jU6f
La Plata river floods a road after Tropical Storm Ernesto passed through Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
In the north coastal town of Toa Baja, which is susceptible to flooding, residents moved their cars to higher areasImage: Alejandro Granadillo/AP Photo/picture alliance

Hurricane Ernesto hit Puerto Rico on Wednesday, knocking out power for nearly half of all homes and businesses on the Caribbean island as it threatened to strengthen into a major hurricane en route to Bermuda.

More than 725,000 homes and businesses in the US territory were without electricity from out of a total of around 1.5 million users, according to LUMA Energy, the island's main energy supplier.

By early Thursday, the storm was over open water about 675 miles (1,085 kilometers) south-southwest of Bermuda, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph) and moving northwest at 16 mph (26 kph).

Warnings in place for beaches on US East Coast

"Hurricane conditions are possible on Bermuda on Saturday," the National Hurricane Center posted on social media. "The risk of life-threatening surf and rip currents is expected to increase along the US East Coast beaches this weekend."

Regarding the threat to the US East Coast, Robbie Berg, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center, said: "Anybody who goes to the beach, even if the weather is beautiful and nice, it could be dangerous, with those rip currents."

Satellite image shows Hurricane Ernesto northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico
This satellite image shows Hurricane Ernesto northwest of San Juan, Puerto RicoImage: NOAA via AP/picture alliance

Meanwhile, tropical storm warnings were discontinued for Puerto Rico and its outlying islands of Culebra and Vieques and for the US and British Virgin Islands.

"I know it was a long night listening to that wind howl," US Virgin Islands Governor Albert Bryan Jr. told reporters.

US faces harsh summer tornado, hurricane season

Bermuda braces itself

A Category 1 hurricane, Ernesto was gradually strengthening and could be deemed a Category 3 hurricane by Friday.

"Residents need to prepare now before conditions worsen," Bermuda's National Security Minister Michael Weeks said. "Now is not the time for complacency."

jsi/rm (AP, Reuters)