Tropical Storm Nate barrels toward hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast
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Version 0 of 1. Yet another tropical storm is barreling toward America’s Gulf Coast, an area still recovering from the effects of Hurricane Irma. Tropical Storm Nate made its way through Central America this week, leaving more than 20 dead, according to officials. Now it is poised to strike areas of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi, according to the National Hurricane Center. A storm surge watch is in effect from the southern tip of Louisiana to the Alabama/Florida border, indicating the possibility of life-threatening sea level surges. Several areas of Louisiana, including metropolitan New Orleans, are under hurricane watch. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu declared a state of emergency for the city on Thursday, but stopped short of asking residents to evacuate. “There is no need to panic,” he tweeted. “Be ready and prepare. Get a plan. Prepare to protect your personal property.” Twenty-nine counties in Florida are also in a state of emergency. Nearly 7m people were asked to evacuate from Florida and Georgia last month, when Hurricane Irma descended on the region. The storm killed more than 30 people in Florida and half a dozen more across the southern US. Employment numbers dropped by 33,000 in September, in response to the effects of both Irma and Hurricane Harvey. Tropical Storm Nate is currently maintaining winds of up to 45 mph – compared to Irma’s 185 mph – but is expected to strengthen in the coming days. The water in the Gulf of Mexico is very warm, which could bolster the storm as it travels up from Central America. The storm is expected to be fast-moving, increasing in speed as it moves toward the US. That will reduce the likelihood of severe flooding like that seen during Hurricane Harvey, which dumped up to 60 inches of rain in some areas of Texas. Nate is expected to bring a maximum of 12 inches of rainfall. The storm has already caused massive destruction in Central America, where it has killed at least 22 people. Thousands of people in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras were forced to evacuate their homes, according to government officials. Schools and highways in Costa Rica were closed due to life-threatening mudslides and power outages. Gulf Coast residents should be prepared for severe effects in their areas as well, National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen told Reuters. “The threat of the impact is increasing, so folks along the northern Gulf Coast should be paying attention to this thing,” Mr Feltgen said. |