Bermuda bracing for Hurricane Gonzalo

Bermuda is bracing for Hurricane Gonzalo to hit later this week with winds that could go higher than 120mph.

If it stays on course flights to and from the island will be impacted from Friday when the hurricane is due to impact the island.

It is not expected that the hurricane will reach mainland US.

The hurricane moved away from the Caribbean yesterday after sweeping through several islands, with warnings now lifted for Puerto Rico and the British and US Virgin Islands.

An elderly man who was in a boat in St Martin’s Simpson Bay Lagoon died as a result of the hurricane on Tuesday, with the Dutch Caribbean island left without electricity and water earlier this week.

The British Virgin Islands (BVI)’s Beef Island Airport has reopened with no damage reported on the islands. Flights and ferry services resumed on Tuesday afternoon with beaches and national parks open as usual from today.

Antigua and Barbuda held a clear-up day on Tuesday so that business could get back to normal. Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas visited the port as planned while flights are running as normal from VC Bird International Airport.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, Economic Development, Investment and Energy, the Honourable Asot Michael said: “Antigua and Barbuda were mercifully spared loss of life or damage to the tourism infrastructure by tropical storm Gonzalo and I can happily report that our islands remain open for business. The V.C. Bird International Airport is open, flights in and out of Antigua are operating as scheduled and visitors continue to arrive to vacation at the islands’ collection of resorts.”