Tropical Storm Ernesto hits Puerto Rico, likely to become hurricane

San Juan: Tropical Storm Ernesto hit Puerto Rico Wednesday causing heavy rains and winds, and power outages for 375,000 homes and businesses.

The US National Hurricane Center said in a warning that Storm Ernesto was 85 miles (about 135 kilometers) northwest of the capital San Juan, and it is likely that the storm will become a hurricane in the coming hours, as it heads north towards Bermuda, where it is expected to reach on Friday.

It noted that the maximum wind speed reached 70 miles per hour, which is slightly less than a Category 1 hurricane, expecting the storm to transform into a major Category 3 hurricane or higher in the coming days.

Puerto Rico officials have warned of widespread power outages as crews continue to repair the collapsed electrical grid after Hurricane Maria devastated it in September 2017 as a Category 4 storm.