Hurricane Ernesto warning downgraded to tropical storm in Bermuda

San Juan, Aug 17 (EFE).- Bermuda’s Prime Minister David Burt said Saturday that the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has downgraded the hurricane warning to a tropical storm following the passage of Ernesto through the British territory in the Atlantic Ocean today.

Despite the downgrade, Burt warned citizens that tropical storm force winds and hurricane force gusts are still expected over the territory during the afternoon of this Saturday.

“Rain bands related to Hurricane Ernesto are still affecting the island. We have been experiencing tropical storm force winds or higher for the past 24 hours and the system has not yet moved away,” Burt said on his X account.

Burt said he did not expect the weather to improve until 18:00 local time (22:00 GMT) today.

Ernesto is centered northeast of Bermuda and the system is moving slowly.

“Stay safe and stay alert to all information that is posted,” Burt said.

The latest NHC bulletin, at 2:00 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT), reported that Ernesto still had sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) and was moving at 7 miles per hour (11 km/h).

According to Bermuda’s Minister of National Security, Michael Weeks, Ernesto has left 75% of the British territory in the Atlantic Ocean without electricity, moving with gales and rain for at least the next 36 hours.

In a statement, Weeks said authorities have received reports of damage to residents’ homes as well as to the infrastructure of BELCO, the state-owned electricity company.

LF Wade International Airport and some roads will remain closed until further notice from authorities.

An anemometer at the Bermuda National Museum in Dockyard recorded sustained winds of 88 miles per hour (142 km/h) with gusts up to 109 miles per hour (175 km/h) during the early part of the hurricane.

Ernesto made landfall around 5:30 a.m. local time (09:30 GMT) as a Category 1 hurricane, the NHC reported. EFE

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