Forecasters have warned of possible life-threatening flooding on the US East Coast from rising waters caused by Hurricane Erin.
Erin, currently a Category 3 storm, is expected to grow in size as it moves northwards in the western Atlantic Ocean.
While it is not forecast to make landfall, it is predicted to bring life-threatening currents and waves to the Bahamas, Bermuda, the US East Coast and Canada’s Atlantic coast.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands and southeast Bahamas, while on the Outer Banks, a string of islands off the North Carolina coast, a storm surge watch has been declared.
The centre of the storm is predicted to pass to the east of the Bahamas on Tuesday, according to the US-based National Hurricane Center.
On Wednesday and Thursday, it is forecast to move north between Bermuda and the US East Coast.
The Outer Banks are already bracing for heavy surf and high winds.
The authorities there have ordered a mandatory evacuation of the islands of Hatteras and Ocracoke, warning that the main highway linking them to other islands could become impassable.
Swimmers and surfers have been warned of deadly rip currents – where currents of water flow away from the shore and can quickly pull people into the ocean – potentially forming along the entire US East Coast.
Local media reported that dozens of people had already been rescued from rip currents on Monday at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina.
Meteorologists say Erin is “unusually large” and predicted to grow further in size.
As of 05:00 local time (09:00 GMT), the storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 115mph (185 km/h).
BBC Weather lead presenter Helen Willetts said: “Although at this stage it’s not expected to make a direct hit to land, it will bring considerable amounts of rain, leading to flash flooding, coastal flooding from storm surge, wind damage and dangerous rip currents.”
“We have already seen heavy rain falls in Puerto Rico – 82mm in 24 hours – and in Anguilla, 62.3mm,” she added.
Erin, the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season, “explosively deepened and intensified” on Saturday into a Category 5 storm and has since been fluctuating in strength.
In Turks and Caicos, an overseas British territory, authorities suspended public services on the largest island and told residents in vulnerable areas to pack in case of evacuation.
More than 150,000 people were also left without power in Puerto Rico after high winds damaged electricity lines, according to local energy company Luma.
But the firm said it had carried out emergency repairs and that by Sunday evening local time, 95% of its customers had working electricity.
