Puerto Rico cancels classes, activates National Guard as tropical storm warning issued for Caribbean

Puerto Rico activated the National Guard on Monday and canceled the start of classes in public schools as forecasters warned the U.S. territory would be hit by what is expected to soon be a tropical storm.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico activated the National Guard and canceled the start of classes in public schools as forecasters warned that the U.S. territory would be hit by Tropical Storm Ernesto, which formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday.

Tropical storm warnings were in effect for Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, St. Martin, St. Barts and St. Maarten.

The storm was located about 295 miles off Antigua. It had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west-northwest at 28 mph. Ernesto is the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Officials in the French Caribbean said the storm was expected to drench Guadeloupe on Monday and pass near St. Barts and St. Martin. The National Hurricane Center said Ernesto is forecast to approach Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands on Tuesday evening.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/puerto-rico-cancels-classes-tropical-storm-rcna166295

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