Puerto Rico is on alert for “Ernesto”

MIAMI (EFE).— The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned of the formation of tropical storm Ernesto, which threatened the Leeward Islands yesterday and Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands today.

The NHC said Ernesto would produce tropical storm-force winds and heavy rains in parts of the Leeward Islands starting last night.

In San Juan, the director of the National Weather Service, Ernesto Rodríguez, said yesterday that when “Ernesto” reaches the mountainous areas of Puerto Rico “it would be a major hurricane.”

“In El Yunque, Sierra de Luquillo and Sierra de Cayey it will possibly reach hurricane level because they are in high areas,” Rodríguez explained in a press conference, emphasizing that “it would be a major hurricane when it reaches the north of Puerto Rico” and that between 10 and 15 centimeters of rain are expected in some other areas.

“We expect most of the wind to stay in the Atlantic,” he said.

For his part, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi said at the press conference that the phenomenon is expected to have “a strong impact in the north of Puerto Rico.”

“We have to prepare, we have to protect ourselves,” he urged, as the system will last more than 24 hours.

The governor warned that tomorrow at six in the evening (local time) “everyone must be at home to protect themselves.” There are 344 shelters available to accommodate more than 41,000 people.

Yesterday morning, Pierluisi signed an executive order to activate the National Guard to assist in any emergency and announced the cancellation of the start of classes that was scheduled for today.

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued an X-Ray alert for seaports in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are under a tropical storm warning.

The X-Ray alert stipulates that port facilities remain open to all commercial traffic, but with restrictions on applications from vessels wishing to remain in port.

Yesterday afternoon, “Ernesto” was located 370 kilometers east-southeast of Antigua.

It had maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and was moving west at 44 kph.

“Ernesto” is the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Authorities expect the system to bring rain to Guadeloupe on Monday and to pass near Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin.

The NHC reported that Ernesto is forecast to approach Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands tonight.

Meteorologists predict the system will cause flooding and landslides.

“We cannot let our guard down,” said Nino Correa, Puerto Rico’s emergency management commissioner, at a press conference.

Blackouts

Authorities also warned that Ernesto would cause widespread power outages given the fragile state of Puerto Rico’s power grid, which is still being rebuilt after Hurricane Maria hit the island in September 2017 as a Category 4 storm.

“That’s a reality,” said Juan Saca, president of Luma Energy, a private company that operates Puerto Rico’s electricity transmission and distribution.

Power outages were also a concern in the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands for similar reasons. Even before the storm approached, authorities announced power outages on the islands of St. John and St. Thomas that affected all residents.

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