News Desk

The Advocate Post: More than half of Puerto Rico stands without power after Hurricane Ernesto landed a devastating hit on the island. According to LUMA Energy, the main power supplier, around 998,000 customers were affected as of Thursday morning. Ernesto, which had upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane just this Wednesday, is gaining strength with winds up to 140 km/h, as it moves towards the Bermuda, where it’s expected to make landfall on Friday.

Overnight, Puerto Rico was overwhelmed by the storm bringing in heavy rain, with some areas expected to reach up to 25 cm (10 inches). LUMA’s president, Juan Saca, stated that over 1,500 workers are actively trying to restore electricity. He emphasized the need to assess the damage before service can be fully restored. Puerto Rico’s power grid has been severely impacted by hurricanes before, notably the 2022’s Hurricane Fiona which left 80% of the island without power for nearly a month. The Hurricane is the fifth named storm of this Atlantic season, following Hurricane Beryl, which became the earliest Category 5 storm on record last month, causing widespread peril in the Caribbean and Texas Gulf Coast.