Anika Begay
By Jasmine Patterson and Nicola Muirhead
BERMUDA (Reuters) – Hurricane Ernesto slammed into Bermuda on Saturday with strong winds and 30-foot (10-meter) waves, swamping the British island territory with rain that could cause deadly flooding.
More than 70% of the 36,000 customers in the area were left without electricity.
The eye of the storm passed over the western end of the archipelago on Saturday morning as it moved north-northeastward and was 50 miles (75 km) from Bermuda by 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), the U.S. National Weather Service said.
With hurricane-force winds extending 70 miles (110 km) from the center and tropical storm-force winds extending 240 miles (390 km), Bermuda was forecast to endure several more hours of punishment as the storm progressed northward at just 9 mph (15 km/h).
Bermuda residents reported a temporary calm as the eye of the storm passed overhead.
But there were maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) around the eye. It was expected to maintain its current intensity for another 48 hours, after which it was expected to weaken, the U.S. Weather Service said.
The Bermuda Weather Service reported rough seas likely reaching 35 feet high south and east of the island and that 5.5 inches (140 mm) of rain had fallen in the last 24 hours.
The U.S. Weather Service predicted that up to 9 inches (225 mm) of rain could fall, causing flash flooding conditions, while a dangerous storm surge is expected to cause significant coastal flooding across much of the archipelago, with a population of about 64,000 and located more than 600 miles (966 km) from the coast of South Carolina.
According to the U.S. Weather Service, the center of the storm is expected to continue moving away from Bermuda on Saturday and approach southeastern Newfoundland late Monday night.
Electricity company BELCO said the storm had caused power outages across most of the island, with about 26,100 of its 36,000 customers without electricity as of 9 a.m. (1300 GMT).
According to BELCO, the dangerous wind conditions are expected to ease this afternoon, when crews can begin assessing any damage to the power grid.
OCEAN WAVES
Bermuda’s Minister of National Security Michael Weeks said the government had received numerous reports of people venturing outdoors during the storm and urged everyone to stay indoors.
“We passed through the eye of Hurricane Ernesto and now the weather conditions are getting worse again,” he told reporters.
BELCO Chairman Wayne Caines also warned residents against being “lulled into a false sense of security.”
“We are seeing reports of downed utility poles and lines, which are extremely dangerous,” Caines said. “It is critical that people avoid these areas and refrain from traveling.”
Ocean waves generated by Hurricane Ernesto have hit the United States, the Florida-based National Hurricane Center said.
In New York City, the city parks and National Park Service announced that all beaches in the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens will be closed to swimmers on Saturday and Sunday, as the National Weather Service predicts dangerous rip currents and waves up to 6 feet (1.8 meters), the mayor’s office said.
