By Amanda Dale

The Causeway will be closed from 8.30 p.m. this evening.

An EMO meeting this afternoon approved the closure overnight until tomorrow morning.

Walter Roban, Acting Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing, said: “After careful deliberation, thoughtful discussion and in the overwhelming interest of public safety a decision has been made to close the Causeway Bridge at 8.30 p.m. this evening.

“Based on expert advice from the Bermuda Weather Service and other entities, we have been advised that the Causeway Bridge can expect to see unusually high tides, increased surf and sea swells as a result of Hurricane Bill.”

He said: “It is anticipated that the bridge will open tomorrow morning only after the worst of the storm has passed the Island.

“However, I must stress that a decision to reopen the bridge will be made only after the integrity of the structure has been assessed.”

This evening’s British Airways flight to London, Gatwick, has now been cancelled and L.F. Wade International Airport will close at 5.30 p.m. It is scheduled to reopen tomorrow at around 2 p.m. All Delta Airways, Air Canada, Continental Airlines, US Airway and Jetblue flights for Saturday have been cancelled.

Mr. Roban also announced ferry and bus cancellations.

The last bus will leave Central Terminal (Hamilton) at 7.45 p.m.; St. George’s at 7.45 p.m.; and Dockyard at 8.20 p.m.

Services are expected to resume tomorrow following “a thorough assessment of the major routes”.

All ferries have been cancelled, with the service not expected to resume until Sunday.

As of 5 p.m. this evening, CedarBridge Academy in Prospect will open as the designated Government shelter. Call 292 6339 if you are in need of shelter.

The Emergency Broadcast Radio Station will become operational from 7 p.m. tonight, at 100.1 FM.

Dr. Mark Guishard, director of the Bermuda Weather Service, said Hurricane Bill has now been downgraded to a Category Two storm.

As of the latest 3 p.m. advisory, its closest point of approach is expected to be 4 a.m. tomorrow.

He did however warn that the combination of a Spring Tide with the 3 ft storm tide and surge from Hurricane Bill would create “treacherous conditions”, particularly around 10 p.m. this evening for residents in low-lying areas.