Its center was about 40 miles north of San Juan early Wednesday after passing over the Virgin Islands on Tuesday. Hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings are in effect for the Virgin Islands and the small Puerto Rican islands of Vieques and Culebra. And he entire island of Puerto Rico is also under a tropical storm warning. Tourists sit on La Pared beach as Tropical Storm Ernesto whips up surf near Luquillo, Puerto Rico, on Tuesday. “The people of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are no strangers to storms,” Rothenburg said.

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Persons: Ernesto, Puerto Rico –, Thomas, John, Pedro Pierluisi, Hurricane Maria, Alejandro Granadillo, Juan Saca, Saca, Jaclyn Rothenberg, ” Rothenburg, “, ” Rothenberg, Mary Gilbert, CNN’s Ella Nilsen Organizations: CNN, Atlantic, National Hurricane Center, San Juan, Virgin, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, US, National Weather Service, Puerto Rico Gov, National Guard, Puerto Ricans, AP LUMA Energy, Federal Emergency Management Agency Locations: Puerto Rico, San, Puerto, Caribbean, Puerto Rican, Vieques, Culebra, St . Croix, St, Luquillo , Puerto Rico, Virgin, Bermuda, It’s, Hispaniola, Bahamas, US East Coast