People in Florida are getting ready for possible flooding by preparing sandbags as Hurricane Helene gets stronger. The BBC reports that the storm, which is currently a Category 1, is expected to become much more powerful, turning into a dangerous Category 4 hurricane before hitting Florida on Thursday evening.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns that Helene could bring “life-threatening” flooding, strong winds, and storm surges to Florida and other southeastern US areas.
Helene is moving through the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to continue north before hitting Florida. Several states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, have declared emergencies to prepare for the storm, the BBC explains.
At 4:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Helene was off the coast of Mexico, with winds reaching 85 mph (140 km/h). It’s gaining strength quickly and could become a major storm by Thursday, according to the NHC.
The BBC also mentioned that people in Florida, like the mayor of Tallahassee, are urging everyone to get ready now and not wait any longer. “Today is the day,” Mayor John Dailey said, warning that this could be a “historic event.”
In Georgia, schools in Atlanta will close on Thursday and Friday to keep students safe from the storm. The weather has also affected politics, with Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance canceling events in Georgia. The BBC highlights that areas across the southeastern US are at risk of severe flooding and damage from the storm.
Before hitting the US, Helene will likely bring heavy rain to Cuba and the Cayman Islands. In Mexico, places like Cancún and Cozumel already experienced strong winds and flooding on Wednesday. The BBC adds that locals were preparing by boarding up windows and pulling boats from the water.
Once Helene reaches the southeastern US, it is expected to drop about 5-10 inches (12.7-25.4 cm) of rain, leading to dangerous floods.
The Big Bend area of Florida, where previous hurricanes have hit, is expected to be one of the worst-affected areas.
The BBC explains that evacuation orders have been issued for many counties in Florida to keep people safe as Hurricane Helene approaches.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd13mezz7mo