International
Severe floods and widespread power outages in Puerto Rico due to Hurricane Ernesto
Puerto Rico suffered severe floods and widespread power outages this Wednesday due to the copious rains brought by tropical storm Ernesto, which became a category 1 hurricane when it passed to the north of the island.
The rainfall caused all the rivers on the island to be “close to or above their overflow level,” according to meteorologist Ernesto Morales, of the National Meteorological Service (SNM), said at a press conference.
The weather agency warned from the beginning of the day of sudden floods in most of Puerto Rico and predicted total accumulations of rain of between 6 and 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters).
One of the most affected areas was the northern Toa Baja, at the mouth of the La Plata River, where the authorities had to evict several families because the water reached the homes of neighborhoods such as San José.
Inspector Robert Ramos Rosario, director of the Criminal Investigation Corps of the Bayamón area, explained to EFE that Highway 2 was closed for the safety of citizens due to the overflow of the river.
“Every time there is an atmospheric event this happens because the river comes from the mountainous area of Barranquitas, Comerío, Cayey and Naranjito, and flows here,” he lamented.
One of the people who could not cross was Arsenio Inocencio Frías, an employee of the Los Nevarez Cowboy, who tried to challenge police security and take a shorter stretch to attend to the 300 cows that he has to milk twice a day.
“I have to get there,” he told EFE Frías, who assured that in the area these floods “have happened quite a few times.”
The NHC stressed that tropical storm alerts are maintained for the British and American Virgin Islands, as well as for the Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra, according to the 11:00 local time bulletin (15.00 GMT).
At that time the tropical storm was about 280 kilometers (175 miles) northwest of San Juan (Puerto Rico) and about 1,340 kilometers (835 miles) south-southwest of Bermuda.
It is the third hurricane so far in the hurricane season in the Atlantic basin, which began on June 1, and has produced five tropical storms: Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby and Ernesto.
Of them, Beryl, Debby and Ernesto were strengthened until they reached hurricanes. Beryl even reached the highest category on the Saffir-Simpson scale, the five, causing destruction and death in the Caribbean and in the United States.
This hurricane season in the Atlantic is expected to be one of the most active and intense in decades because up to 25 storms and 13 hurricanes are expected to form.
Hundreds of people are in the shelters set up by the authorities of Puerto Rico, where there are blocked roads and some rivers are overflowing after the passage of Ernesto, who has become a hurricane.
According to data from the Department of the Family, at least 375 people have sought refuge in 72 shelters in different municipalities of the island.
The torrential rains and strong gusts of wind have caused damage to private homes, as well as the fall of trees and some light poles.
Dozens of roads in municipalities in the north, center and east of the island are obstructed by water, trees or landslides.
Some of the most affected areas have been the municipal islands of Vieques and Culebra, for which the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States maintains tropical storm alerts.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden signed an emergency declaration to help Puerto Rico face the consequences of Hurricane Ernesto, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported.
The agency pointed out in a statement that the presidential order authorizes it to coordinate response efforts in order to reduce the difficulties and suffering of the local population.
The objective, according to his note, is to provide adequate support to the 78 municipalities of that Commonwealth to “save lives, protect property, safety and public health and minimize or prevent the threat of a catastrophe.”
The Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico resumed air operations on Wednesday after the passage of the tropical storm Ernesto, already turned into a hurricane, which caused the cancellation of 145 flights.
About 80 flights were canceled on this day, in addition to the 65 suspended on Tuesday, according to the statement from Aerostar, the operating company of the airport.
The president of Aerostar, Jorge Hernández, reported that air operations were restarted after a process of inspection of the facilities.
International
Armed forces target illegal mines in Northern Ecuador with bombing raids
Ecuador’s Armed Forces carried out an operation on Monday — including airstrikes — against illegal mining in the town of Buenos Aires, in the country’s north, Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo reported.
The mountainous, gold-rich area has been a hotspot for illegal mining since 2017, located in the Andean province of Imbabura.
In 2019, former president Lenín Moreno deployed around 2,400 soldiers to the region in an attempt to curb the illegal activity. “The operation began with mortar fire, followed by gunfire and bombing runs by Supertucano aircraft,” Loffredo said in a video released by the Defense Ministry.
He added that the operation would continue on Tuesday with patrols across the area to locate possible members of “irregular armed groups that may have crossed from the Colombian border.”
The Armed Forces stated on X that the intervention focused on the “complete elimination of multiple illegal mining tunnels” in the areas known as Mina Nueva and Mina Vieja.
The operation coincided with the deployment of a military and police convoy into Imbabura, which has been the epicenter of protests against President Daniel Noboa since September 22, following his decision to scrap the diesel subsidy.
International
Caracas shuts embassy in Oslo without explanation following Machado’s Nobel win
Venezuela has announced the closure of its embassy in Norway, just days after opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Venezuelan diplomatic mission provided no explanation for its decision on Monday.
“It is regrettable,” a ministry spokesperson said. “Despite our differences on several issues, Norway wishes to keep the dialogue with Venezuela open and will continue to work in that direction.” The ministry also emphasized that the Nobel Committee operates entirely independently from the Norwegian government.
In its announcement, the Nobel Committee stated that Machado met the criteria established by Alfred Nobel, “embodying the hope for a different future, where the fundamental rights of Venezuelans are heard.”
International
Sheinbaum: Urgent to restore access to towns cut off by heavy rains
Thousands of military personnel and civilians in Mexico worked tirelessly on Tuesday to clear roads blocked by the torrential rains of recent days, which have left more than 300 communities cut off across central and eastern regions of the country. Authorities also launched mass fumigation efforts in several affected areas to prevent the spread of dengue fever.
The official death toll remains at 64, though dozens of people are still missing. President Claudia Sheinbaumacknowledged that the government does not yet know the full situation in many of the isolated villages, which range in population from 500 to 1,000 inhabitants.
“The reopening of roads is one of the greatest urgencies,” Sheinbaum said. “It’s essential to guarantee air bridges, food supplies, clean water, and a proper census of the isolated communities so we can determine the condition of every person living there.”
Private construction companies are also assisting the effort with heavy machinery and technical support to help reopen highways and reconnect rural areas.
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