East Coasts Ports Announce Closures Ahead of Ernesto Landfall

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everal East Coast ports announced they have closed as Tropical Storm Ernesto moves closer to land.

Miami-Dade County Officials have closed the port of Miami and locked down all county bridges as of 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Cargo and passenger services have been suspended at Florida’s Port Everglade, with the exception of ships and trucks hauling gasoline or diesel, the Sun Sentinel newspaper reported Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the South Carolina State Ports Authority announced it will close the Port of Charleston beginning noon Wednesday. SCSPA said it expects to reopen the port on Friday.

The National Hurricane Center expects Ernesto to strengthen as it moves towards the United States and has forecast that the storm will reach the Florida keys or Southeast Florida by Tuesday evening.

The center also noted that a tropical storm warning is in effect along the East Coast north of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., and northward to Altamaha Sound, Ga.