Hurricane Ernesto unleashed heavy rains and strong winds on Bermuda on Saturday, leaving a significant portion of the British Atlantic Ocean territory without power before it continued its trajectory towards eastern Canada. The hurricane, which had previously struck Puerto Rico earlier in the week, was reported by the US-based National Hurricane Center to be "slowly moving away from Bermuda" while still generating severe tropical storm conditions as of Saturday evening. The NHC noted that Ernesto made landfall at 5:30 am local time with maximum sustained winds of 137 km/h.
The Bermuda Weather Service stated on Saturday evening that the island was "progressing through the southwestern quadrant of Ernesto," experiencing intermittent heavy showers and warned of hazardous sea conditions persisting through the night. By 6 pm local time, Ernesto was situated approximately 85 miles northeast of Bermuda and was forecast to deposit between 175 to 225 millimeters of rain on the island. The NHC cautioned that this amount of rainfall could lead to significant, life-threatening flash flooding, particularly in low-lying areas.
Bermuda's power company, Belco, reported that the storm had left nearly 26,000 customers without electricity, representing over 70% of its customers on the island, which has a population of 64,000. Social media images depicted fallen trees obstructing roads, damaged power lines from the storm's high winds, and flooded streets. In anticipation of the storm, Bermudians took precautions on Friday by removing boats from the ocean, securing windows, filling bathtubs with water, and stocking up on batteries and food.
Minister of National Security Michael Weeks, as reported by The Royal Gazette, reminded the public on Saturday that "even though we have been downgraded from hurricane to tropical storm, we must remember that some gusts will be intense." He also noted the presence of many downed wires and foliage, indicating potential dangers. Key roads were closed, and bus and ferry services were suspended. Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport announced it would remain closed until Sunday following the storm's passage. The NHC forecasted that Ernesto would continue moving northeast, gradually leaving Bermuda on Saturday and potentially approaching or moving east of Newfoundland in eastern Canada by Monday night. The center also warned of expected hazardous beach conditions along the US East Coast throughout next week.
