Tropical storm "Ida" caused floods in Jamaica and Cuba and moves to the USA

Tropical storm "Ida" caused floods in Jamaica and Cuba and moves to the USA
Tropical storm "Ida" caused floods in Jamaica and Cuba and moves to the USA
Anonim

Tropical Storm Ida is gathering strength, turning into a hurricane; it is now approaching the Gulf of Mexico and Louisiana. On Friday, Ida caused torrential rains and flooding in parts of Jamaica and also affected Cuba. It is expected to reach a land mass in the United States with a powerful hurricane potential.

The streets of the capital Havana were deserted as residents closed their homes before the arrival of Ida.

Jamaica was flooded due to heavy rain, and landslides occurred after the hurricane passed. Several roads were closed, forcing some people to leave their homes.

Ida is the ninth named storm and fourth hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. It may have surpassed Hurricane Laura, the last Category 4 hurricane to hit Louisiana. But it is still being compared to Katrina, the Category 5 hurricane that devastated the region in August 2005, killing more than 1,800 people.

Ida's winds reached 80 mph (129 km / h) late Friday, according to the National Meteorological Service, which expects the storm to intensify significantly before turning into a major hurricane in southeast Louisiana on Sunday.

US coastal authorities preparing for the storm urged residents to remove ships from ports and facilitated an early evacuation.

According to forecasts, Ida could hit the United States as a major storm of the fourth category on the five-point Sapphire-Simpson scale. It is expected to generate sustained winds of about 140 km / h, heavy rain and tidal forces that expects much of the Louisiana coastline to be several feet below water level.

Forecasters said high surf, driven by hurricane winds, can reach 10 to 15 feet near the mouth of the Mississippi River, with deeper levels extending eastward along the adjacent shores of the Mississippi and Alabama, according to the National Hurricane Center.

It is also expected to intensify tornadoes, widespread power outages and flooding within the country.

Recommended: