Hurricane Gonzalo 2014 UK: Tropical storm causes blackout in Bermuda and heads towards Britain

Hurricane Gonzalo has caused a blackout across most of Bermuda, after striking the island with winds of up to 110mph.

 

Fallen trees blocked roads and large areas were flooded, according to a report in Bermuda’s Royal Gazette. Power was also cut for around 31,200 homes, which house most of the island’s 64,900 residents.

 

The hurricane formed to the east of the Caribbean before making its way towards the island. It was the second tropical storm to hit Bermuda in less than a week, after Tropical Storm Fay caused damage to homes and power lines on the island two days ago. 

 

On Thursday Gonzalo was labelled a category four storm, but yesterday it was downgraded to category three and then to category two. Strong winds and heavy surf continued after the eye of the hurricane moved north into the Atlantic, and tidal surges are still possible. 

 

It is not an unusual event for Bermuda. The affluent British overseas territory in the western Atlantic regularly sees strong tropical storms. But in the case of Hurricane Gonzalo, it looks as though it may be heading towards the UK. According to the Met Office, the tail end of the storm is likely to hit our shores early next week. It said it is monitoring “any signs of extreme weather”. 

 

"Having crossed Bermuda, Gonzalo is expected to race north-eastwards across the Atlantic. It will weaken as it crosses cooler waters and start to make the transition into a mid-latitude depression,” a spokesperson for the Met Office said.  

 

"Latest forecasts indicate that the remnants of Gonzalo are likely to pass over the northern UK late on Monday and early on Tuesday."