Hurricane Ernesto Hits Puerto Rico, Causing Widespread Power Outages and Flooding

Hurricane Ernesto made landfall in Puerto Rico on August 14, bringing torrential rains and cutting power to nearly half of the island's residents. With maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, Ernesto is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane as it moves toward Bermuda.

The storm's impact has been severe, with significant flooding reported in several areas and a complete power outage affecting over 700,000 customers. Puerto Rico’s power grid, still fragile from Hurricane Maria in 2017, struggles to cope with the current storm. Essential services, including hospitals, are operating on generators, and over 235,000 customers are without water.

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, blackouts and communication disruptions have been reported, with airports in St. Croix and St. Thomas anticipated to reopen by midday. Meanwhile, Culebra and Vieques also experienced heavy rainfall and infrastructure damage.

Ernesto is forecast to approach Bermuda later in the week, potentially becoming a Category 3 storm before weakening to a Category 2. Residents are urged to prepare for worsening conditions and heavy swells along the U.S. East Coast.

The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor the storm's progress as it moves over open waters, with predictions of 4 to 10 inches of rain in affected areas.