On Saturday, Hurricane Ernesto’s eye was several hundred miles away from the U.S. as it made landfall in Bermuda, but it still presented serious risks to East Coast beaches with alerts for rip currents and high surf.

More than 1 million individuals were under high surf advisories, and nearly 10 million people resided in areas under rip current warnings, as stated by the National Weather Service on Saturday. (Rip currents can be extremely dangerous for beachgoers well away from a hurricane’s center.)

In North Carolina, a coastal home collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean in the Outer Banks, as shown in a video released by local emergency services on Friday evening. Officials warned that several other homes might also be at risk of falling due to Ernesto.

“Ocean conditions are hazardous for swimming due to the height of the surf and scattered debris,” the Chicamacomico Banks Fire and Rescue agency mentioned on social media. “Please exercise caution.”

In New York City, authorities closed beaches in Brooklyn and Queens for the weekend due to the perilous rip currents generated by Ernesto. Officials in New Jersey also issued warnings about dangerous and potentially life-threatening rip currents along the Jersey Shore.

The National Hurricane Center indicated that Hurricane Ernesto would continue to batter Bermuda with significant winds and rainfall as it begins its slow journey northward toward Canada.

When Ernesto impacted Puerto Rico on Wednesday, it left hundreds of thousands of residents without electricity and running water.

Numerous rescues carried out by New Jersey lifeguards

At the southern tip of New Jersey, Cape May Beach issued a double red flag warning on Saturday indicating the water was unsafe. People heeded the warnings as a breeze swept in with a significant swell, according to Rich Demers from the Cape May Beach Patrol.

On Friday afternoon, lifeguards rescued 40 individuals from the water, prompting the issuance of double red flags, Demers reported. Currents remained strong on Saturday, and the beach patrol anticipated issuing another double red flag warning for Sunday.

“Whenever conditions seem precarious, please be cautious,” he advised YSL News. “Make sure you’re informed about what rip currents are.”

Two men drown on Hilton Head, South Carolina, during rip current warnings

Two men tragically drowned on Friday on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, as per the local sheriff’s office. The beautiful resort area and its surroundings were experiencing heightened rip current risks due to Hurricane Ernesto passing offshore.

Beaufort County sheriff’s deputies received a call about a drowning around 10:30 a.m. on Friday. Lifeguards and emergency medical teams were performing lifesaving efforts on Ralph Jamieson, 65, who eyewitnesses noted had been caught in a rip current prior to his drowning, according to the sheriff’s office statement.

Later, at about 3:20 p.m., deputies responded to another drowning incident about three miles further up the shore. Witnesses reported seeing Leonard Schenz, 73, in the water before he seemingly went missing. Local firefighters attempted to save him, as stated by the sheriff’s office.

The National Weather Service office in Charleston noted that the risk of dangerous rip currents persisted on Saturday for beaches in South Carolina and Georgia.

Understanding rip currents

The risk of rip currents extends almost the entire length of the East Coast, as highlighted by Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, during a Saturday morning update. He underscored the fact that hurricanes far from the shore can still be deadly.

The National Weather Service offices from Maine to Florida issued warnings regarding dangerous rip currents for the weekend.

“Only enter the ocean if you are confident in its safety, and always heed the advice of local lifeguards,” Brennan cautioned. “Also, pay attention to warning flags at the beach to avoid becoming another statistic due to Ernesto’s perilous conditions.”

But what are rip currents? As previously indicated by YSL News, rip currents are narrow and strong currents that swiftly flow away from the shore. They can be powerful, typically moving at about 1 to 2 feet per second, but they can reach speeds of 8 feet per second, which is faster than an Olympic swimmer. They generally span no more than 80 feet in width.

Normally, when waves reach the shore, the water returns to the ocean in a steady manner. However, shallower areas on the ocean floor, near surf zones or gaps in sandbars, disrupt that uniform flow, causing water to rush through and form a powerful rip current.

If you find yourself caught in a rip current, stay calm. Rip currents pull you outward and not under the water. Float or tread water until you’re able to escape or receive help. Swim parallel to the shoreline to get out of the current rather than fighting against it. Try to attract attention by yelling or waving.

Always check conditions before entering the water, learn how to recognize rip currents, and swim only in areas monitored by lifeguards.

Bermuda still experiencing hurricane conditions hours after Ernesto’s passage

Hurricane conditions persisted in Bermuda hours after Ernesto passed through, according to Michelle Pitcher, the director of the Bermuda Weather Service, during a briefing Saturday afternoon.

As of 8:30 a.m. local time, the eye of the storm had already moved past, yet Bermuda remained under a hurricane warning by Saturday afternoon. Earlier that day, Ernesto recorded winds of 89 mph and gusts reaching 109 mph at the National Museum of Bermuda, which is situated to the west of Hamilton, the capital.

Later on Saturday, the island continued to experience hurricane-like conditions, with winds at 74 mph and gusts of 89 mph. Pitcher noted that Bermuda would likely experience tropical storm-level winds until after midnight, and could also expect a few inches of rainfall as Ernesto tracked northward.

In Bermuda, nearly 75% without power while officials assess the situation

Officials announced that Hurricane Ernesto left approximately three-quarters of Bermuda without power, as reported in a morning briefing.

So far, no major damages have been reported, but residents are advised to remain indoors, stated Lyndon Raynor, the director of Bermuda’s risk reduction management team. Only about 11 individuals sought refuge in an emergency shelter, suggesting that most people are staying at home.

First responders are prepared to commence a thorough assessment of any damages once the conditions improve. The island’s causeway, an essential roadway, has been closed due to the hurricane. Structural inspections to allow its reopening are not expected until at least daylight on Sunday, Raynor explained.

Bermuda is home to nearly 64,000 people, making it an extensive group of islands and a British Overseas Territory.

“We ask Bermudians and residents to keep off the streets and stay sheltered,” said Michael Weeks, the national security minister, “so we can safely manage this storm and hopefully avoid any major damage, injuries, or loss of life.”

Collapse of house in Outer Banks, NC due to storm

In North Carolina’s Outer Banks, at least one house has collapsed. On Friday evening, Chicamacomico Banks Fire and Rescue shared footage of a two-story home swaying precariously near the coast.

The local fire department confirmed, “Another house has collapsed due to the swells from Ernesto. Please refrain from entering the ocean as debris will be present for the next few days. Cleanup efforts will be communicated by park services.”

Other homes in the region are also at risk of falling, according to the agency. “Expect a tough weekend ahead,” they added in a follow-up post showcasing damage caused by the collapse.

Current status of Hurricane Ernesto

Rip currents are perilous, even from distant hurricanes

The intense winds from a hurricane can generate dangerous waves, posing a serious risk to sailors as well as coastal residents and visitors, according to the hurricane center. When these waves break along the shoreline, they can create deadly rip currents—sometimes even from storms far offshore.

A report from the American Meteorological Society last year revealed that the percentage of deaths directly caused by rip currents associated with tropical cyclones has significantly increased in recent years. The authors observed that fatalities often occur individually due to distant storms hundreds of miles away.

For instance, in 2008, even though Hurricane Bertha was over 1,000 miles from shore, it led to rip currents that resulted in three fatalities along the New Jersey coast and prompted 1,500 lifeguard rescues in Ocean City, Maryland, within just one week.

“The danger of rip currents is heightened compared to other hurricane hazards,” stated Jamie Rhome from the hurricane center, “as the latter can be visually identified.”

‒ Doyle Rice and Dinah Voyles Pulver

When does the Atlantic hurricane season occur?

The Atlantic hurricane season spans from June 1 to November 30.

The peak of this season occurs around September 10, with the highest activity levels normally found between mid-August and mid-October, as indicated by the Hurricane Center.