Hurricane Gonzalo Update: Gonzalo was about 485 miles (780 km) south-southwest of Bermuda early on Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 145 miles per hour (230 kph), according to U.S National Hurricane Center, and regained its strenght now at category 4. It was moving north at 9 mph (15 kph),
Bermudans were mandated to do the safety precautions as they are still recovering from Storm Fray that hit the island last week. Local newspaper the Royal Gazette reported. Premier Michael Dunkley called on residents to have preparations completed by Thursday afternoon.
"We have weathered storms before and we are well versed in how to manage our homes and our property," he said.
"However, I urge people to err on the side of safety every time."
"People stripped the island's hardware stores of generators, batteries, candles and other items and picked up free tarpaulin distributed by the government. Supermarkets and gas stations braced for more crowds Thursday." because the electricity in the island was shut down. according to USAToday.
MSN, also added that ' hurricane warning was in effect for Bermuda, and forecasters said a dangerous storm surge accompanied by destructive waves could cause significant flooding on the island, which is about one-third the size of Washington, D.C. Some 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) of rain was predicted.'
The hurricane is expected to pass on Bermuda, though it wouldn't make a landfall "within the full brunt of the hurricane's worst weather," said AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Kottlowski.
He also added, "Impacts on those islands include damaging hurricane- force winds, torrential rainfall and very rough and dangerous surf,"
"Gonzalo swept by the eastern Caribbean earlier this week, claiming one life in the Dutch territory of St. Maarten. Large ocean swells continued to affect parts of the Virgin Islands, the northern coasts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, parts of the Bahamas and the U.S. East Coast from North Carolina southward.", as CBC reported.
We'll keep you posted about Hurricane Gonzalo update!
