Hurricane Nicole weakened late Thursday as it moved into the open ocean after making a direct hit on Bermuda.
Nicole slammed into the British territory as a Category 3 hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 180 kilometers per hour (120 miles per hour), the U.S.-based National Hurricane Center said.
Nicole caused serious damage to the island’s infrastructure, causing walls and roads to collapse, tearing roofs off buildings, ripping up trees, smashing boats against rocks, and flooding numerous homes and roads, the Royal Gazette newspaper reported late Thursday.
More than 27,000 customers were without power. There were no reports of deaths or injuries.
By late afternoon, the storm was about 210 kilometers (130 miles) northeast of Bermuda.
In Nicole’s aftermath, government officials inspected bridges and other structures. The Royal Bermuda Regiment removed uprooted trees and other debris from roads.
Cleanup efforts were expected to continue until early Friday, and the island’s airport planned to reopen by then. Schools were scheduled to stay closed until Monday.
