Parts of the east coast of Florida were placed under hurricane watch Friday, from Deerfield Beach in Broward County north to the line between Volusia and Brevard counties.
Meanwhile, tropical storm warnings were issued for the east coast of Florida from Ocean Reef to Sebastian Inlet.
Hurricane Isaias weakened slightly as it maintained a course expected to take it near the Florida coast over the weekend, as it approaches Bahamas, where areas are still recovering from the devastation caused by Dorian last year. .
Isaías had maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour and was about 295 miles southeast of Nassau, in the Bahamas, the United States National Hurricane Center said in its 11 am bulletin. The storm was moving northwestward at a rate of 16 miles per hour.
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According to the forecast, it will pass through the southeast Bahamas in the early hours of Friday, approach the center of the archipelago later in the day, and pass near or above the northwest Bahamas and near South Florida on Saturday.
Meteorologist Adrián López from Telemundo 51 Miami explains the development of the system.
Preparations are already underway in South Florida and Miami-Dade County ordered the closure of parks, marinas and golf courses.
The county mayor, Carlos Giménez, explained that at the moment “there is no plan now to make an evacuation order. That can change at any time depending on the trajectory. “
In the Brickell area, which generally suffers floods after heavy rains, an apparent normality has reigned. However, some of the apartments already had hurricane protection shutters. The city of Miami has appealed to its residents.
Francis Suarez, Mayor of Miami asks that “prepare now. We never know The intensity of the storm. Prepare for the worst and pray for the best. “
On Thursday, when it was still a tropical storm, Isaías caused power outages, felled trees, caused widespread flooding and small landslides in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
The National Guard rescued at least 35 people from the floods in Puerto Rico, and one person was still missing, while hundreds of thousands were left without electricity or running water.
Hurricane advances to Bahamas and South Florida
Hurricane warnings were issued for the northwest Bahamas, including Andros Islands, New Providence, Eleuthera, Abaco Islands, Berry Islands, Grand Bahama Island, and Bimini.
Two of those islands, Abacus and Grand Bahama, were hit last year by Dorian, a category 5 hurricane that lasted the area for two days and left at least 70 dead and more than 280 missing.
In both, people still live in tents, and authorities said operatives were trying to remove debris before Isaías arrived.
These climatic phenomena devastate everything in their path and here we explain how they are formed.
Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced on Thursday night a relaxation of quarantine measures in the face of the meteor’s arrival, but said a curfew will be applied between 10 pm and 5:00 am from Friday.
Supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and computer shops may open as long as the weather allows.
Stephen Russell, director of the Bahamian emergency management agency noted that there were no plans to evacuate the population, but urged those living near the coast to take refuge in higher areas.
The Bahamas has more than 500 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and at least 14 deaths. It recently banned the entry of travelers from the United States after a rebound in cases while reopening to foreign tourism.
Isaiah is expected to dump 4 to 8 inches of water in the Bahamas and on the Turks and Caicos.
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