Storm Ernesto hits Puerto Rico and Bermuda
Ernesto brought heavy rainfall, flooding, and high winds to Puerto Rico, the Lesser Antilles, and the Virgin Islands before intensifying into a hurricane as it headed north towards Bermuda.
The storm made landfall on Puerto Rico with winds just 4 miles per hour short of hurricane status. Governor Pedro Pierluisi activated the National Guard amid reports of people stranded in homes and cars surrounded by floodwaters. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses were left without power after Ernesto wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico’s fragile electrical infrastructure. Eighty shelters were opened to support displaced families. WCK’s #ChefsForPuertoRico prepared sandwiches as Ernesto made landfall and began to distribute them in impacted communities as soon as it was safe to do so.
The storm then made direct landfall on Bermuda as a Category 1 Hurricane, bringing strong winds and a dangerous storm surge. At the height of the storm, more than 70% of residents were without electricity. WCK was able to reach out to Chef Corps members and restaurant partners we worked with after Hurricane Fiona in 2022 to start cooking as soon as possible. Those teams helped distribute meals to local churches and impacted neighborhoods.
Chefs For Puerto Rico
Island of Culebra
WCK’s team in Puerto Rico arrived on the island of Culebra the day after Tropical Storm Ernesto made landfall. While assessing needs, we delivered food to a family who’s roof was destroyed by the storm.
Supporting seniors in eastern Puerto Rico
One of our first stops after the storm passed was at a home for seniors in eastern Puerto Rico where we also provided support following Hurricane María. Our team met with Violeta, who manages the home and provided sandwiches and water for the residents left without electricity by the storm. Nearby, we stopped at a second housing complex that houses about 90 seniors who also lost utilities. The meals we provided were the first many people had eaten in more than a day.
#ChefsForPuertoRico
What started as preparing meals from a friend’s restaurant five years ago shortly after José and arrived in San Juan, turned into mobilizing a network of chefs and more than 20,000 volunteers uniting under the #ChefsForPuertoRico banner to feed the island in a time of unprecedented need. Since then, this team has supported fellow Puerto Ricans following, hurricanes, an earthquake, and the Covid-19 pandemic.
News from the ground
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WCK’s #ChefsForPuertoRico team is providing sandwiches and water as we assess damage caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto. The storm brought heavy rain early today and left many communities without power. We prepared sandwiches as the storm passed and headed to the hardest hit areas as soon as it was safe to do so.
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WCK’s team has mobilized to eastern Puerto Rico to provide sandwiches and water as we identify all pockets of need following Tropical Storm Ernesto. In Punta Santiago, we visited Violeta and the home for seniors she manages. Our #ChefsForPuertoRico team also supported this home in 2017 after Hurricane María devastated the island.
