Powerful Hurricane Gonzalo Makes Landfall In Bermuda

Bermuda's main hospital sustains damage as much of the country loses power.

Police spokesman Dwayne Caines told the Associated Press that part of the roof at Bermuda's main hospital was damaged as Gonzalo battered the island Friday night, including some water damage in a new intensive care unit.

The Atlantic island country has strict buildings codes made to ensure structures can withstand winds up to 110 mph.

Bermuda Electric Light Co. reported more than 31,000 customers were without electricity during the storm, out of a total 36,000 connections.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Bermuda International Airport reported sustained winds at 93 mph, gusting to 113 mph at 10:55 p.m. ET as the backside of Gonzalo lashed the island.

Hurricane Gonzalo made landfall at approximately 8:30 p.m. ET along the coast of Bermuda.

The National Hurricane Center said Gonzalo was a Category 2 storm with 110 mph winds when it made landfall Friday night.

Bermuda International Airport reported sustained hurricane-force winds of 74 mph and a gust to 96 mph before the eye moved over the island.

Radar showed the eye of the hurricane passing directly over Bermuda.

Bermuda is in the northern eyewall of Hurricane Gonzalo.

Hurricane-force winds are being observed on Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center reported sustained winds of 83 mph, gusting to 112 mph at Commissioner's Point, an elevated observation site on Bermuda.

Hurricane Gonzalo was located 40 miles SSW of Bermuda at 6 p.m. ET, and moving NNE at 16 mph.

Large waves and strong rain are hammering the coast, Reuters reported:

By mid-afternoon streets were empty as the high winds reaching tropical storm force of 40 mph bent back palm trees on Harrington Sound in the middle of the islands, prompting the government to close a major causeway bridge linking the main island to the east end.

Hurricane Gonzalo's eye will be over Bermuda in a few hours.

The National Hurricane Center, in a 5 p.m. update, said the center of the storm is almost upon the islands.

The maximum sustained winds of the category 3 storm are at 115 miles an hour, with even greater gusts, the center said.

"Gonzalo is expected to be a dangerous hurricane when it moves near or over Bermuda," the center said, adding that the storm surge and coastal flooding is expected to be "life threatening."

The hurricane will begin to weaken on Saturday, when it moves over cooler waters.

Residents are bracing for a potentially life-threatening storm with heavy rains and powerful winds. The country's prime minister, Michael Dunkley, urged people located in low-lying areas to move to higher ground.

"This hurricane is a large storm, and we should expect at least 24 hours of storm-force winds," Dunkley said.

Hurricane Gonzalo is currently a dangerous Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds at 140 mph, but is expected to weaken somewhat to a Category 3 as it nears Bermuda on Friday.

The last major hurricane to hit Bermuda was in 2003, when a Category 3 Hurricane Fabian battered the islands, killed four people.