Image via Shutterstock
Enforced changes to flights and cruise ship itineraries in parts of the Caribbean have been made as Hurricane Gonzalo was upgraded to a Category 3 storm.
One person was killed in the Dutch Caribbean island of St Maarten as Gonzalo disrupted travel and caused structural damage to homes in Antigua and other islands.
The hurricane is now pulling away from the Caribbean and is heading towards Bermuda, where an alert was issued last night.
The biggest impact on Tuesday was on the shared island that is home to the Dutch and French territories of St Maarten and St Martin. Most of the Dutch Caribbean territory was without water and electricity while residents reported losing roofs, doors and windows.
Gonzalo disrupted travel across the Caribbean, canceling or disrupting scheduled ferry services, flights and cruises
Ferries were docked or disrupted in the British Virgin Islands on Monday, according to British Virgin Island News, and early flights out of the island Tuesday by local airline Seaborne were cancelled in advance of the storm.
Regional airline LIAT also canceled flights across the Caribbean on Monday, including some to Curacao and St Maarten.
Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Breeze cancelled a call in La Romana, Dominican Republic and its ships Liberty and Conquest switched to western Caribbean ports to avoid the storm.
Disney Cruise Lines’ Disney Magic rearranged its schedule for Monday, stopping at the same Caribbean ports but in a different order.
Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas bypassed a scheduled stop in St Maarten on Monday and headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Note: A quote in an earlier version of this article was found to have incorrectly categorised the extent of the damage at Hermitage Bay resort in Antigua. This quote has been removed.