Hurricane of the decade intensifies on the way to the USA: Trump declared a state of emergency
'11.09.2018'
Hurricane Florence is expected to approach the east coast of the United States on Thursday-Friday.
The southeastern coast of the United States is preparing for Hurricane Florence, as it is expected that the hurricane will intensify to the 5 category before heading on Thursday night, writes CNN.
The National Hurricane Watching Center expects the hurricane to pass between Bermuda and the Bahamas on Tuesday and Wednesday, after which it will approach North and South Carolina by the end of Thursday-Friday.
1 million evacuate North and South Carolina. #USA#HurricaneFlorence pic.twitter.com/IWCexX0Z0j
— Photo Geo? (@PhotoTimeGeo) September 11, 2018
In the coastal zone, the length of 300 kilometers is evacuated. More than 1 million people face mandatory evacuation in the coastal areas of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Authorities in more northern areas down to New Jersey are urging coastal residents to take precautions.
The strength of the hurricane is estimated at four points out of five. The highest score, five, was for Irma, the deadliest Atlantic storm of 2017, dubbed the "hurricane of the decade." The wind speed of Florence reaches 220 kilometers per hour.
Donald Trump has already signed decrees declaring a state of emergency in North and South Carolina and discussed the situation with the governors of these states. Air force.
The Pentagon said on Monday that it would send an advanced military group to the emergency operations center in the capital city of North Carolina, Raleigh, to coordinate efforts with federal partners and state authorities. Troops received an order of readiness for deployment in Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
In one of the tweets, Trump wrote that this is one of the most powerful hurricanes in many years and that he will directly hit North and South Carolina and Virginia. The President of the United States urged residents to be careful and prepare for the elements.
Florence is rapidly gaining strength. On Monday morning it was rated as three points, but after an hour the wind speed increased from 178 km per hour to 195, and the estimate of potential damage increased to four points - that is, a hurricane of such force, in which trees will be felled, prefabricated houses are destroyed, and stone buildings will have damaged windows, doors and roofs.
The flood zone in a fourth category hurricane extends up to four kilometers into the land. Florence could be the most devastating hurricane in this region in the last 30 years.
Meteorologists suggest that as the hurricane gains power in the warm waters of the Atlantic, it can reach the highest, fifth category.
The last time a hurricane of this magnitude hit the region was in 1989, when Category 7 storm Hugo devastated North Carolina, causing $ 49 billion in damage. XNUMX people were killed.
The National Hurricane Watch Center warns that Florence has all the indications of a "extremely dangerous" weather event.
It can bring catastrophic torrential rains and flooding of coastal and inland regions.
The authorities urged the population to prepare for possible power outages and stock up on drinking water.
Long lines have lined up in supermarkets as shoppers sweep water, batteries and plywood sheets off the shelves, which they use to nail down windows in houses.
“There is still bread and batteries, but by XNUMX pm on Monday not a single bottle of water was left”, - Tweeted one of the visitors to a store in Williamsburg.
Neighboring South Carolina states are also preparing to meet with the hurricane.
North Carolina has imposed restrictions on agricultural transport to free up roads for transporting food. Ships from Norfolk Base, the main naval base of the Atlantic Fleet of the US Navy, located in Virginia, bordering North Carolina, are prepared to go out to sea to, if necessary, wait out the storm there.
