Francine downgrades to storm after causing flooding and power outages in Louisiana, US

afp_tickers

This content was published in

September 12, 2024 – 06:08

Francine was downgraded to a tropical storm on Wednesday as it moved over Louisiana, United States, where it brought strong winds and rain and caused flooding, power outages and some property damage.

“Francine has been downgraded to a tropical storm. However, do not underestimate the impact: heavy rainfall is still occurring, causing widespread flooding, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported.

The system, which also affected the city of New Orleans on Tuesday night, had sustained winds of 110 km/h and had been losing strength since it reached the Louisiana coast.

It made landfall at 22:00 GMT near Morgan City, as a Category 2 hurricane – on a scale of 5 – with winds of 155 km/h.

Images on local television and social media showed rain and winds affecting coastal towns in Louisiana’s territorial jurisdictions known as parishes (counties), which have had mandatory evacuations since Tuesday.

Flooding was also reported on some streets, and tornado warnings were still in effect for some jurisdictions. More than 330,000 customers were without power in Louisiana, according to the monitoring website poweroutage.us.

Authorities had not reported preliminary reports of any injuries to people.

– First damages –

WDSU 6 broadcast live the rescue of a driver under heavy rain whose pickup truck was almost completely submerged during flooding in New Orleans.

Sandbags had been placed at the entrances of buildings in Houma, southeastern Louisiana, to keep out water. Images shared on social media by TV station WeatherNation showed severely damaged buildings and flooded roads in several coastal areas.

On his X account, meteorologist Matthew Cappucci shared images of three boats adrift downriver in the town of Dulac, Houma, amid rain and wind.

In Jefferson Parish, Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said the storm’s excessive water supply has saturated the domestic sewer system. This has prevented toilets and washing machines from draining.

Part of the area in the estimated path of the hurricane was impacted by the devastating hurricanes Katrina (2005), Laura (2020) and Ida (2021).

– It will weaken later –

“Francine is moving toward the northeast at 16 mph (26 km/h) … Rapid weakening is forecast and it is expected to become a tropical depression by late Thursday and a post-tropical cyclone by Thursday night or early Friday,” the NHC said in its 0300 GMT report.

US President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Louisiana on Tuesday, a move that frees up federal funds to help local authorities.

In the rain, fishermen, members of the soccer team with the coach and the mayor of the town of Jean Lafitte, placed sandbags to protect properties near a navigable marsh.

Dozens of families spent the previous night in some shelters. In the parish of Lafourche, a curfew was in effect until dawn on Thursday, to prevent people from being on the streets during the passage of the hurricane.

“We’re going to see some trees down, some potential power lines down, so we don’t want people on the road,” Lafourche Mayor Archie Chaisson said.

– Busy season –

Francine is the sixth meteorological phenomenon of the 2024 Atlantic season, which runs from June to November. Previously, in August, Hurricane Ernesto caused rain and power outages in Puerto Rico. Previously, Debby, Chris, Beryl and Alberto circulated.

Debby hit the east coast of the United States as a hurricane, causing at least eight deaths, according to press reports. In July, Beryl reached Category 5 status in the Caribbean and made less powerful landfall in Texas. Authorities in countries affected by Beryl (the United States, Venezuela, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Jamaica and Canada) reported at least 67 victims directly or indirectly related to this hurricane.

According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this year’s Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be hectic as rising ocean temperatures increase the intensity of hurricanes. Twenty-five storms are expected, of which 13 are expected to be hurricanes.

mav/mr/cjc/atm/ag