SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Ernesto lashed the northeastern Caribbean on Tuesday as it targeted Puerto Rico, where officials closed schools, opened shelters and moved dozens of the U.S. territory’s endangered parrots into hurricane-proof rooms.
Ernesto is expected to become a hurricane early Wednesday as the storm’s center moves north of Puerto Rico on a path toward Bermuda. Forecasters have issued a hurricane warning for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands as well as the small Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra, which are popular with tourists.
“Ernesto could reach hurricane strength or even hurricane strength within 24 hours,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said in a warning issued late Tuesday morning. Tropical storm warnings were also in effect for Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla, St. Maarten, St. Barth and St. Martin.
The storm is expected to move over or near the U.S. Virgin Islands Tuesday evening, and pass northeast and north of Puerto Rico late Tuesday and Wednesday morning.
Heavy rains began to fall on Puerto Rico, and strong winds turned the ocean a milky turquoise color, as people rushed to secure their homes and businesses.
“I hope this goes away quickly,” said Jose Rodriguez, 36, as he climbed onto the roof of his uncle’s wooden shack in the Afro-Caribbean community of Pinones on Puerto Rico’s northern coast to secure work in the famous fried street food business.
Ernesto was about 85 miles (140 kilometers) east of St. Croix Tuesday afternoon. Maximum sustained winds were 60 mph (95 kph) and it was moving west-northwest at 18 mph (30 kph).
“Heavy rain is expected,” Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said, urging people to stay indoors by early Tuesday evening.
He activated the National Guard as crews across the island visited flood-prone areas and elderly residents as part of last-minute preparations. Meanwhile, officials from the Department of Natural Resources working at breeding centers The only native parrot left on the island.the Amazon region of Puerto Rico, moved them inland.
Ernesto Rodriguez of the National Weather Service warned that the storm’s path could change as it approaches Puerto Rico.
“We should not lower our guard,” he said.
As intermittent rain fell on northeastern Puerto Rico, residents in Pinones tried to squeeze in a few extra hours of work.
Maria Abreu, 25, prepared fried pastries stuffed with shrimp, crab, chicken and even iguana meat while waiting for customers.
“They always come. They buy it in case the power goes out,” she said.
On the road, Juan Pizarro, 65, was collecting about 100 coconuts from palm trees that swayed in the strong breeze. He had already secured his home.
“I’m ready for anything,” he said.
Forecasters warned of waves up to 20 feet (6 meters), widespread flooding and possible landslides, with 6-8 inches (15-20 centimeters) of rain expected in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) in isolated areas. Puerto Rico has six reservoirs that were already overflowing before the storm.
Puerto Rico officials are warning of widespread power outages as the electrical grid collapses, with crews still working to repair it after Hurricane Maria devastated it in September 2017 as a Category 4 storm.
Juan Saca, president of Loma Energy, a private company that manages power transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico, urged people to report power outages: “The electrical system in Puerto Rico is not up to date enough to detect power outages.”
Power outages were also a concern in the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands for similar reasons, with outages reported in St. Thomas and St. John on Monday.
“Don’t sleep on this,” said U.S. Virgin Islands Gov. Albert Bryan Jr., whose administration announced early Tuesday that it would close all schools.
Early Tuesday morning, Hurricane Ernesto hit the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, where officials closed several major roads, urged people to stay home and warned that drinking water quality would be affected for days. Meanwhile, the storm downed two trees in Antigua and knocked out power to much of the island.
Ernesto is the fifth named storm of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year. Due to record high ocean temperaturesThe agency forecasts 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.
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