Tropical cyclone Idalia swept through the US states of North and South Carolina today, Thursday, causing heavy rains that threatened serious flooding, while the coast of Florida began to recover from its devastating effects.
The National Weather Service said the hurricane brought torrential rain, which could reach 23 centimeters in some areas, along the region’s coast early today.
The authority warned of the possibility of life-threatening floods, especially in low-lying areas and along rivers. Hurricane warnings are also issued for many oceanic regions, where heavy rains and strong winds are still forecast.
Until this morning, “Idalia” was about 105 km southwest of Wilmington, North Carolina, with winds of 90 km/h on its way to the northeast.
This hurricane is expected to move east, away from the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday evening (local time).
Estimates of “Idalia” losses in Florida are $9 billion, according to unofficial statistics (Reuters)
Once in a lifetime
The states of North and South Carolina were exposed to harsh conditions after the “Idelia” made landfall at Keaton Beach in the Big Bend (Big Bend) region of Florida, as it swept the coast with strong winds of up to 201 km / h, accompanied by heavy rain and high waves.
Idalia, a “very dangerous” Category 3 hurricane, hit swampy and sparsely populated Big Bend in Florida on Wednesday morning, according to the US National Hurricane Center, with a potential for water levels of up to 5 meters in some coastal areas.
After passing Florida, Idalia battered neighboring Georgia, downgrading to a tropical storm that still dumped up to 25 centimeters of rain and caused serious flooding in coastal areas, officials said.
Officials described Idalia and the record water levels it caused as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event for the hardest-hit Northwest Florida region.
Mass evacuations were ordered earlier for thousands of Floridians, although many refused to leave.
The Florida Highway Patrol reported that two motorists were killed in two separate rain-related accidents early yesterday, just before Idalia made landfall. Gov. Ron DeSantis later said authorities were investigating a traffic fatality unconfirmed related to the hurricane.
North and South Carolina and federal authorities will fully assess the damage in the coming days. UBS said – in a research note – that insured property losses in Florida are expected to reach $9.36 billion.
Despite the damage to coastal areas, “Idalia” was less destructive and deadly than Hurricane “Ian”, which was a category five when it struck Florida in September 2022, causing 150 deaths and losses estimated at $112 billion, according to government data.
And while “Idalia” came out less severe than feared, it also illustrated an increasing tendency for storms to quickly gain strength to hurricane level, a phenomenon that scientists say is a consequence of climate change.
#lifetime #Hurricane #Idalia #hits #states
2023-08-31 20:07:45
