Hurricane Joaquin hits Bermuda

Bermuda bore the brunt of powerful winds and torrential rainfall as Hurricane Joaquin swept across the island yesterday (October 4).

The hurricane hit the area after tracking through the Bahamas as a Category 4 hurricane. Joaquin’s destructive power  had faltered a little by the time it reached Bermuda, however winds still gusted frequently over 50 mph Sunday in the area, with the strongest official wind gust reaching 64 mph at the Bermuda International Airport shortly before 9 pm. Gusts over 50 mph continued in Bermuda as of early this morning.

Weather forecasts now predict Joaquin will head across the open northern Atlantic Ocean while transitioning to a non-tropical low pressure system by early Wednesday.

The US National Hurricane Center in Miami also said that elevated water levels and big waves from Joaquin will affect the US mid-Atlantic region" causing significant beach and dune erosion with moderate coastal flooding likely".

Insurance firms are urging customers who aren’t covered to do so in case they are affected by the tail end of the storm.