Hurricane Erin has escalated to a Category 4 hurricane, posing significant danger with life-threatening surf and rip currents along the US East Coast. As storms begin to lash the south-eastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, officials have issued a tropical storm warning, urging locals to be vigilant. Although Erin is not anticipated to directly hit the islands, residents face possible rainfall reaching six inches (15.2 cm).
As the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, Erin initially peaked as a Category 5 storm before fluctuating in intensity. In Puerto Rico, over 150,000 residents experienced power outages due to strong winds damaging power lines, but emergency repairs have restored electricity to 95% of customers by Sunday evening.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) has indicated that the hurricane's outer rain bands are beginning to affect the Bahamas. The Disaster Risk Management Authority in the Bahamas urged residents to familiarize themselves with nearby shelters in case of emergency, emphasizing that storm paths can change rapidly. The NHC forecasts Erin’s core to move east of the south-eastern Bahamas and continue northward, which may bring further hazardous conditions along the eastern US by midweek.
In anticipation of the storm, evacuations have begun in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, particularly on Hatteras Island, where authorities warned that the main road might become impassable. Furthermore, forecasters have cautioned that rip currents may affect the entire US East Coast as the storm progresses, raising concerns for public safety.
