Bermuda Airport to Reopen Today

Bermuda International Airport, shut down this weekend as Hurricane Florence approached the island, will reopen this afternoon. The Category 1 hurricane passed close to the island and, while not scoring a direct hit, brought wind gusts into the mid-90 mph range. About a third of Bermuda homes lost power during the storm, but officials reported minimal damage on an island with strong building codes and houses designed to withstand much stronger storms.

The reopening of the airport will grant an exit to the many tourists who decided to weather the storm rather than leaving Bermuda early. Ferry service also is set to resume today, and cruise ships the Norwegian Crown and Norwegian Majesty will call at Southampton this week as previously scheduled, the Bermuda Star reported.

The only reported damage to tourism infrastructure was to the roof of the Surf Side Beach Club, where some guests had to be relocated. The causeway linking Bermuda's East End to the rest of the island -- wiped out by Hurricane Fabian in 2003 -- suffered only minor damage from Hurricane Florence and was reopened to traffic by Monday night.