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Ernesto heightens into Classification 1 typhoon as it moves far from Puerto Rico

Hurricane Ernesto reinforced into a Category 1 typhoon on Wednesday as it churned away from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, leaving more torrential rains in its wake and cutting power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses.

Ernesto had to do with 175 miles (280 km) northwest of the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan as it crawled to the northwest, loading winds of about 75 miles per hour (120 km per hour), the National Hurricane Center said in a Wednesday advisory.

The official projection still shows the possibility of Ernesto ending up being a major cyclone in about two days, the center stated.

A storm is thought about a hurricane when its continual winds reach 74 miles per hour (119 kph). A major cyclone - a Classification 3 or greater - has a continual wind speed of at least 111 mph (179. kph).

Ernesto - the 5th named Atlantic storm of the season -. ought to approach the British island territory of Bermuda, about. 665 miles (1,093 km) east of North Carolina, by Saturday, with. rainfall beginning as early as Thursday, the NHC stated.

More than 500,000 homes and companies lacked power. early on Wednesday in Puerto Rico, according to LUMA Energy,. which provides electrical energy to the U.S. island area.

We will perform field evaluations as quickly as it is safe for. our crews to go out into the field to determine damage and begin. repairs, LUMA said in a declaration. The company said it would. focus on restoring power to necessary services such as. hospitals and water and sewage centers.

More flood-producing rains were falling on the U.S. Virgin. Islands and Puerto Rico, the cyclone center stated, cautioning that. floodwaters were covering some streets and triggering mudslides.

I advise you to stay safe in your houses, have the emergency. numbers at hand and follow the recommendations of the authorities. authorities. The safety of everyone is a concern, Puerto Rico. Governor Pedro Pierluisi said on X.

Puerto Rico and Virgin Island schools were closed on. Wednesday, as were lots of governmental workplaces. Airports on the. Virgin Islands, to the east and southeast of Puerto Rico, were. anticipated to reopen at 10 a.m. local time (1400 GMT) on. Wednesday.

The Virgin Islands was expected to get up to 6 inches (15.2. cm) of rain while approximately 10 inches (25.4 cm) of rain was in the. forecast for southeastern Puerto Rico. The Virgin Islands,. Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra were under a tropical storm. warning, the typhoon center said. Ernesto is the 2nd named Atlantic storm in a week throughout this. year's intense typhoon season. Slow-moving Debby hit Florida's. Gulf Coast as a Category 1 typhoon recently before soaking. some parts of the Carolinas with up to 2 feet (0.6 meter) of. rain.

Cyclone Beryl, the very first of the season, was the earliest. tape-recorded Category 5 typhoon on record in the Atlantic when it. swept through the Caribbean and the U.S. Gulf Coast last month,. killing dozens of people and costing an approximated $6 billion in. damages.

(source: Reuters)