Elza has increased to the first hurricane of the Atlantic season on Friday — hitting the eastern Caribbean, where authorities closed schools, businesses and airports. It will presumably eventually head to Florida.
The Category 1 storm has caused heavy rain and winds to hit Barbados and then Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which are struggling to recover from recent volcanic eruptions. p>
Elsa was located about 5 miles north of St. Vincent, moving from west to northwest at a speed of 29 miles per hour. According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the maximum wind speed was 75 mph.
Tropical Cyclone #Elsa hit Barbados on Friday with sustained winds of 74 mph, according to @NHC_Atlantic.
The category 1 storm is the first hurricane of the Atlantic season pic.twitter.com/Z7nwEPCd46
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) July 2, 2021
«Such a strong wind can bring down many buildings and cause great damage,» said Prime Minister of St. Vincent Ralph Gonsalves.
“I beg you. Let's not take this hurricane lightly. Now is not the time to play the fool. ”
The hurricane warning was in effect for Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as southern Haiti, from the capital Port-au-Prince to the southern border with the Dominican Republic.
The fast moving storm is expected to hit Hispaniola Island like a hurricane before weakening to the strength of a tropical storm again — and possibly heading to Florida by early Tuesday.
