Miami: Bermuda has been lashed by Hurricane Imelda, a Category 2 storm that struck the British territory, bringing destructive winds, heavy rain, and coastal flooding.
According to the US National Weather Service in Miami, Imelda made landfall with maximum sustained winds of 100mph (161km/h), its core passing directly over Bermuda before tracking east-northeast. The National Hurricane Centre warned of damaging waves and flash flooding that were expected to continue, though conditions were forecast to improve as the storm moved northeast of the island.
Authorities in Bermuda took swift measures ahead of the hurricane, deploying 100 soldiers to secure critical infrastructure and assist at emergency shelters. Public schools, government offices, and the international airport were closed, while 53 people sought refuge in shelters. Power cuts affected at least 654 residents.
5pm AST October 1st Key Messages for #Hurricane #Imelda:
Tropical Storm conditions are already occurring in #Bermuda. Damaging hurricane-force winds & large destructive waves are expected when Imelda moves over the island tonight into tomorrow morning.https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ pic.twitter.com/TihZapWtUq
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 1, 2025
Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s national security minister stated that, “This is a dangerous storm system that could bring destructive winds, heavy rainfall and significant coastal impacts.” The hurricane centre reported that Imelda was expected to unleash 50 to 100mm (2 to 4 inches) of rain and a dangerous storm surge, raising the risk of coastal flooding. Hundreds of residents were left without power before the hurricane’s closest approach.
Imelda strengthened rapidly after forming as a tropical storm over the Bahamas. It became a hurricane, sweeping through the Bahamas and brushing Florida’s east coast, where it triggered tropical storm warnings and dumped heavy rainfall.
The storm has already caused devastation in the northern Caribbean. In Cuba’s Guantanamo province, more than 18,000 people were evacuated, while landslides and flooding cut off 17 communities in Santiago de Cuba, home to over 24,000 residents.
Two people were reported dead in Cuba, while one person remains missing in Haiti following severe floods. Imelda’s arrival comes just a day after Hurricane Humberto, a Category 4 storm, dissipated west of Bermuda.
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