 The hurricane produced light rainfall and winds throughout the northern Lesser Antilles . The passage of Erika carried a cloud of volcanic ash to Antigua from the eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano on Montserrat , a rare occurrence . Strong waves from the hurricane produced beach erosion and coastal flooding in northern Puerto Rico , and caused the death of two surfers . Moderate wind gusts in the northern Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico left thousands of residents without power , and resulted in $ 10 million ( 1997 USD , $ 12 @.@ 6 million 2006 USD ) in damage in the U.S. Caribbean territories . Erika also produced gusty winds and light rain in the Azores . Erika was the only tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean in the months of August and September , the first occurrence of such event in an Atlantic hurricane season since 1929 . 
