Bermuda holds its breath ahead of Hurricane Fiona

(Hamilton) Lounge chairs and umbrellas are stowed, storefronts caulked, and the beam from the lighthouse shows fast-moving clouds as Bermuda braced for Friday’s mighty Category 4 hurricane Fiona who wreaked havoc on the Caribbean.

Faced with increasingly powerful gusts and waves, the inhabitants of this British territory took refuge in their homes at nightfall.

The eye of Fiona is expected to pass 160 km west of the archipelago around 5 a.m. (8 a.m. GMT) on Friday, according to the Bermuda Meteorological Service, and may have been downgraded to Category 3 by then.

“This hurricane is going to be worse than the last,” fears Richard Hartley, owner of a business in the capital, Hamilton, while affixing metal plates to the windows of his shop with the help of his wife.

Due to the size and strength of the hurricane, it was time to be cautious. “I encourage everyone to prepare adequately for this storm,” Premier David Burt tweeted. “Take care of yourself and your family. »

The hurricane is formed by winds blowing up to 210 km / h, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), based in Miami.

In Bermuda, a very small archipelago of 64,000 inhabitants, Fiona must bring rain and cause sea levels to rise, with “large destructive waves”, the NHC said.

“We have to live with”

The territory, located a thousand kilometers from the United States and accustomed to hurricanes, is one of the most isolated places in the world, which makes any evacuation almost impossible in the event of an emergency.

“We have to live with it because we live here,” explains JoeAnn Scott, who works in a store in Hamilton. The inhabitants “try to take it as it comes. And pray,” she added.

Along famous Horseshoe Bay Beach, some watch the choppy waves. Others take advantage of the exceptional conditions to go kitesurfing. “They are a bit crazy,” notes Gina Maughan, who came to stretch her legs one last time before a long night of waiting.

Due to its geographical location, the main island therefore takes preparations seriously even when it does not expect extensive damage.

Many of the boats moored at clubs were pulled from the water this week and outdoor furniture, both in homes and restaurants, was brought inside.

Schools will be closed on Friday and the government has announced the opening of an emergency accommodation center. Bus and ferry traffic was suspended on Thursday evening.

National Security Minister Michael Weeks called on residents to stay home until given a green light.

“Please don’t drive, don’t venture outside to take pictures, don’t be reckless,” he told a press conference.

Store rainwater

In addition to storing food and candles, Bermudians filled buckets with water from their reservoirs.

As the island does not have a source of fresh water, all the buildings have reservoirs to store rainwater, connected to the houses by an electrical system.

And since power outages can occur during storms, locals often fill their bathtubs or buckets in anticipation.

Here, buildings and houses must also comply with strict construction rules to withstand storms.

“The buildings are really made to last, and we never see the devastation that the Caribbean has experienced over the years,” said Hartley’s wife, Elaine Murray.

Fiona caused the death of four people in Puerto Rico, American territory, according to an official quoted by the media. One death was reported in Guadeloupe and two in the Dominican Republic.

US President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from Hurricane Maria five years ago.

Fema, the federal agency in charge of the management of natural disasters, plans to send hundreds of additional members of its personnel to Puerto Rico, which suffered massive power cuts, landslides and floods.

“It breaks my heart,” the leader of the American House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi reacted on Thursday.

In the Dominican Republic, President Luis Abinader has declared a state of natural disaster in three eastern provinces.