Mass. (WWLP) – Hurricane Ernesto is making its way towards Bermuda after its strong winds knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people and dumped torrential rain on Puerto Rico.
22News spoke to local officials who have family and loved ones in Puerto Rico about the impact this storm has had on the ground.
No deaths related to the storm have been reported in Puerto Rico, but there were over 730,000 people left without electricity on Wednesday, with some also losing water service, many still without power Thursday night.
Rep. Carlos González of the 10th Hampden district told 22News, “The rivers have gone over, the road have been shut down. Highways are depending on what area the bridges are have been closed.”
Tropical Storm Ernesto brought heavy rains and high winds that tore down trees blocking roads and highways, leaving islanders without power. Many here in western Massachusetts trying to get in contact with their loved ones who reside on the island of enchantment.
Senator Adam Gomez said, “The west side of the island where my family is from didn’t experience that until now recently, we know these reports have been troubling coming out of Puerto Rico specifically when it comes to Luma, and I know that there’s a lot of grassroots organizations trying to figure out how we can sustain the light.”
As of 11 a.m. Thursday, there are over 428 thousand customers without power, according to Luma, the private company in charge of power distribution in Puerto Rico.
A little more than 10 inches of rain fell in the region of Barranquitas in Puerto Rico, the National Weather Service in San Juan says that much of the island was still under flood watches as of late Wednesday.
As part of their emergency response, FEMA is ready to provide generators and make available warehouses with emergency supplies during the immediate aftermath of the storm. Here in Massachusetts Senator Adam Gomez and State Representative Carlos Gonzalez are hoping to provide support to those back home once they are able to get a full assessment of the damage.
The National Hurricane Center and Bermuda Weather Service issued a hurricane warning early Thursday for Bermuda, meaning sustained winds of 74 mph, are expected in the island’s marine area within the next 24 hours.
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Melissa Torres is a reporter who has been a part of the 22News team since 2021. Follow Melissa on X @melissatorrestv and view her bio to see more of her work.
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