Helene approaches the coast of Florida on Thursday like a “catastrophic” Category 4 storm and threatens to provoke up to six meters of deadly ocean tides and strong winds. Meanwhile, residents rush to get away and seek shelter from the danger.
He National Hurricane Center (NHC) of Miami reported that the storm had reached Category 2 strength early Thursday, with winds of 155 kilometers per hour in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The agency expects it to make landfall near Big Bend tonight or early Friday morning. The “damaging” winds may “penetrate well inland into the southeastern United Stateseven on the highest ground of the Southern Appalachians“.
What to expect from Helene
The NHC warned of storm surge, strong winds and up to 46 cm of rain and life-threatening flooding. “Preparations to protect life and property should be completed promptly,” the Center recommended.
Several states are on the potential path. One of them, Atlantametropolis of Georgia Hundreds of miles from the Gulf Coast, it has five million inhabitants and will experience tropical storm force winds and heavy rains until Friday, according to forecasts.
A 402 km stretch of coastline, from the Tampa Bay to Panama City is on alert. Helene also previously hit the peninsula of Yucatanwhere several are located tourist resorts.
What the authorities say
Florida Governor, Ron DeSantishe declared state of emergency for almost all 67 Florida counties.
Mobilized the National guard already thousands of people for possible Search, rescue and power restoration operations“The impacts will reach far beyond the eye of the storm,” the president said.
DeSantis also said that 62 health care facilities, from hospitals to nursing homes, have already begun evacuation. White House declared itself ready “for provide more help to Florida, and other states in the storm’s path.”
There are now sixteen Florida counties with stay-at-home orders. mandatory partial evacuationwhile two ordered the evacuation of all residents.
If the weather predictions are confirmed, Helene would be the Most powerful hurricane to hit the United States in more than a year. The hurricane Idaliaa category 3 hurricane, hit the northwest from Florida in August 2023.
For scientists, climate change, which warms ocean waters, intensifies the arrival of storms and increases the risk of more powerful hurricanes.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
