Bermuda mobilizes military personnel to protect key facilities, clear debris, and support emergency shelters.
Published On 2 Oct 2025
Hurricane Imelda’s eye has passed directly over Bermuda, unleashing fierce winds, powerful waves, and sudden flooding across the British island territory.
According to the National Weather Service in Miami, Florida, the storm reached Category 2 status with peak sustained winds of 100 mph (161 km/h) late Wednesday night. Positioned roughly 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Bermuda, Imelda moved east-northeast as it traversed the island.
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The National Hurricane Center posted on X that damaging waves and flash floods were expected to persist into the morning hours. However, as the storm’s center shifted northeast of Bermuda, conditions were forecasted to gradually improve. “The island is anticipated to see better weather over the next several hours,” the center added.
Hurricane #Imelda Advisory 22A: Imelda’S Core Now East-Northeast of Bermuda With Conditions On The Island Expected to Improve During the Next Several Hours. https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ
– National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 2, 2025
Imelda rapidly intensified after emerging as a tropical storm over the Bahamas on Sunday afternoon. It escalated to hurricane strength by Monday night, having moved through the Bahamas and skirted Florida’s eastern coastline, where it caused heavy rains and prompted tropical storm alerts in the central and northwestern Bahamas.
In preparation for Imelda’s impact, Bermuda activated 100 military personnel tasked with safeguarding critical infrastructure, clearing obstructed roadways, and assisting at emergency shelters.
Authorities shut down public schools, government offices, and the international airport on Wednesday, urging residents to brace for hazardous weather. Emergency shelters accommodated 53 individuals, while power outages affected 654 households, according to Bermuda’s government.
Michael Weeks, Bermuda’s national security minister, emphasized the severity of the storm: “This system poses a serious threat with the potential for destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and significant coastal damage.”
The hurricane center also forecasted rainfall totals between 50 and 100 mm (2 to 4 inches) across Bermuda, alongside a perilous storm surge capable of causing coastal flooding. Power disruptions were reported even before Imelda’s closest approach.
Earlier in the week, Imelda caused flooding in the northern Caribbean region.
In eastern Cuba, authorities evacuated over 18,000 residents in Guantanamo province. Floodwaters and landslides isolated 17 communities in Santiago de Cuba, affecting more than 24,000 people. The storm claimed two lives in Cuba, and one person remains missing in Haiti due to severe flooding.
Imelda follows closely on the heels of Category 4 Hurricane Humberto, which dissipated on Wednesday after passing west of Bermuda.
