Nearly 155,000 utility customers are without power in Puerto Rico as Category 3 Hurricane Erin batters the Caribbean, bringing heavy rainfall and gusty winds to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
“The adverse weather has caused multiple interruptions across the island,” Luma Energy, a power company in Puerto Rico, said on X. “Our teams continue to work to address each situation as quickly and safely as possible.”
Meanwhile, two divers who were swept away by dangerous surf near St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands had to be rescued by local crews on Sunday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Video of the rescue by St. Croix Rescue Chief Jason Henry showed the divers being pulled onto a boat.
And on the island of St. Martin, video shows palm trees swaying in strong winds Saturday.
Erin has been fluctuating in intensity over the past several days, and the now-Category 3 storm is expected to strengthen yet again.
As of 11 a.m. ET Sunday, Erin was 200 miles north-northwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph. It is moving west-northwest at around 13 mph.
Outer bands continue to sweep over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, bringing heavy rain and gusty winds. Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches, with up to 6 inches likely in some areas, will be possible and could lead to flash flooding or mudslides.
At a news briefing Sunday morning, Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González-Colón advised residents to stay home if they can. While there are no reports of flooding on the island so far, the worst weather is expected to impact the region within the next six hours, officials said at the briefing.
González-Colón said there were currently no residents in shelters and no reports of flooding so far, but flash flooding remains a concern. She asked residents to stay home if possible.
The hurricane is forecast to once again become a Category 4 later Sunday before taking a northerly turn on Monday and Tuesday. It’s forecast to gradually weaken through the middle and latter half of the workweek as it passes between the U.S. and Bermuda.
This would be the latest fluctuation in an already volatile storm. Erin rapidly exploded from a Category 2 storm on Friday to a massive Category 5 overnight, before weakening gradually to a Category 3 by Sunday morning.
“Some fluctuation in intensity are likely over the next couple of days, but Erin is expected to remain a dangerous major hurricane through the middle of this week,” the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. ET update on Sunday.
The storm is also expected to bring life-threatening surf and rip currents along the East Coast and Atlantic Canada during the week.
In Puerto Rico’s Sierra Bayamón neighborhood, a suspension insulator broke and a conductor fell to the ground due to inclement weather conditions, Luma Energy said on Facebook. Crews are on the ground were working to repair the line on Sunday morning.
Luma Energy advised the public to avoid walking or driving through flooded areas, especially near downed power lines.
Matteo Moschella contributed.
