Puerto Rico cancels classes, activates National Guard as Tropical Storm Ernesto approaches
CTV
Puerto Rico activated the National Guard and canceled the start of classes in public schools as forecasters warned that the U.S. territory would be hit by Tropical Storm Ernesto, which formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday.
Puerto Rico activated the National Guard and canceled the start of classes in public schools as forecasters warned that the U.S. territory would be hit by Tropical Storm Ernesto, which formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday.
Tropical storm warnings were in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, St. Martin, St. Barts and St. Maarten.
The storm was located about 230 miles (370 kilometers) east-southeast of Antigua late Monday. It had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was moving west at 28 mph (44 kph). Ernesto is the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Officials in the French Caribbean said the storm was expected to drench Guadeloupe on Monday and pass near St. Barts and St. Martin. The National Hurricane Center said Ernesto is forecast to move over or near Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands on Tuesday evening.
Forecasters warned the storm is expected to unleash floods and landslides.
“We cannot let our guard down,” Nino Correa, Puerto Rico's emergency management commissioner, said at a news conference.
Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said more than 340 shelters across the island would be available if necessary and that more than 200 personnel with the National Guard were activated.
