Hurricane

Hurricane Melissa: Death toll rises to 45 in Jamaica, 15 still missing

The number of confirmed deaths from Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica rose to 45, with 15 other people missing, authorities said Tuesday. The death toll is expected to rise, with officials still trying to reach two towns that remain cut off since the catastrophic Category 5 storm made landfall in western Jamaica on Oct 28. Helicopters have been dropping food and other basic supplies in those two communities, said Alvin Gayle, director general of Jamaica's emergency management office. He said the storm has displaced 30,000 households, with 1,100 people still living in 88 emergency shelters that remain open. Nearly three dozen roadways remain blocked as crews continue to remove debris, Gayle said. Officials noted that 50% of customers have mobile service, and more than 70% of customers now have water. Meanwhile, crews have restored power to more than 60% of customers. This is a solid milestone given the scale of destruction, said Hugh Grant, president and CEO of Jamaica's power company

2 dead after small plane on relief mission to Jamaica crashes near Florida

A small turboprop plane on a hurricane relief mission to Jamaica crashed into a pond in a gated residential neighborhood of the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Coral Springs, killing two people shortly after takeoff and narrowly missing homes Monday, authorities and a local resident said said. The Coral Springs Police Department confirmed the deaths in a statement Monday afternoon. But police did not provide further details about the occupants of the plane and did not immediately return messages seeking more details. Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Moser said emergency crews responded within minutes of a call reporting the crash. Initially, no victims were located during rescue efforts and they shifted to a recovery operation. Moser said no homes were damaged, but crews spotted some debris near the retention pond. Local aerial televised footage showed a broken fence in the backyard of one home bordering the pond where the plane went down. There was no actual plane

Dozens dead as Hurricane Melissa wreaks havoc across Cuba and Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa left dozens dead and widespread destruction across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica, where roofless homes, toppled utility poles and water-logged furniture dominated the landscape Wednesday. A landslide blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz in Jamaica's St. Elizabeth parish, where the streets were reduced to mud pits. Residents swept water from homes as they tried to salvage belongings. Wind ripped off part of the roof at a high school that serves as a public shelter. I never see anything like this before in all my years living here, resident Jennifer Small said. Melissa made landfall Tuesday in Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm with top winds of 185 mph (295 kph), one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, before weakening and moving on to Cuba, but even countries outside the direct path of the massive storm felt its devastating effects. At least 40 people have died across Haiti, Steven Aristil with Haiti's Civil Protection Agency told The Associated Pres

Hurricane Melissa charges toward eastern Cuba after devastating Jamaica

Heavy floodwaters swept across southwestern Jamaica, winds tore roofs off buildings and boulders tumbled onto roads Tuesday as Hurricane Melissa came ashore as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages were reported as Melissa hit with 295 kph winds near New Hope, with officials cautioning that the cleanup and damage assessment could be slow. There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. The question now is the speed of recovery. That's the challenge. Floodwaters trapped at least three families in their homes in the community of Black River in western Jamaica, and crews were unable to help them because of dangerous conditions, said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica's Disaster Risk Management Council. Roofs were flying off, he said. We are hoping and praying that the situation will ease so that some attempt can be m

Hurricane Melissa: Jamaica braces for strongest storm in nearly 2 centuries

Hurricane Melissa was set to pummel Jamaica on Tuesday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, the strongest to lash the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago. The storm was expected to make landfall early Tuesday and slice diagonally across the island, entering near St. Elizabeth parish in the south and exiting around St. Ann parish in the north, forecasters said. Hours before the storm, the government said it had done all it could to prepare as it warned of catastrophic damage. There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. The question now is the speed of recovery. That's the challenge. Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages were reported ahead of the storm, with officials in Jamaica cautioning that the cleanup and damage assessment would be slow. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 4 metres is expected across southern Jamaica, with officials concerned about the impact on some hospitals along t

Caribbean nations brace for Hurricane Melissa as it upgrades to category 4

As per NYT, Southwest Haiti and portions of Jamaica were bracing for catastrophic flash flooding and landslides from the intense and fast-developing hurricane, which has already killed four people

Hurricane Erin forces evacuations on North Carolina's Outer Banks

Hurricane Erin forced tourists to cut their vacations short on North Carolina's Outer Banks even though the monster storm is expected to stay offshore after lashing part of the Caribbean with rain and wind on Monday. Evacuations were ordered on some barrier islands along the Carolina coast as authorities warned the storm could churn up dangerous rip currents and swamp roads with waves of 4.6 metres. Tropical storm and surge watches were issued Monday for much of the Outer Banks. Officials at the Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, North Carolina, reported to the National Weather Service rescuing at least 60 swimmers from rip currents on Monday. Tourists and residents waited for hours in a line of cars at Ocracoke Island's ferry dock the only way to leave other than by plane. We definitely thought twice, said Seth Brotherton, of Catfish, North Carolina, whose weeklong fishing trip ended after two days. But they said 'mandatory' and that pretty much means, 'get out of ...

Stronger Hurricane Erin forecast to create dangerous surf along US coast

A stronger and bigger Hurricane Erin pelted parts of the Caribbean and was forecast to create dangerous surf and rip currents along the US East Coast this week. It reintensified to a Category 4 storm with 215 kph maximum sustained winds late Sunday as its outer bands lashed the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, according to the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami. Erin was forecast to bring tropical storm conditions to the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast Bahamas overnight into Monday. Additional strengthening was forecast for Monday followed by gradual weakening, but Erin was expected to remain a large, major hurricane into midweek. Hurricane-force winds extended up to 95 kilometres from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 370 km. The area of strong winds is expected to grow more over the next few days. At that size, Erin will impact coastal areas even though it isn't forecast to make a direct landfall. Dare County, North Carolina, declared an

Tropical storm Flossie set to become hurricane off Mexico's Pacific coast

Tropical storm Flossie continued to gain steam off Mexico's southwestern Pacific coast on Monday afternoon and was projected to turn into a hurricane overnight. Meanwhile, the remnants of what was tropical storm Barry dumped rain on eastern Mexico. Flossie strengthened with maximum sustained winds of 100 kph. It was centred about 270 km southwest of Zihuatanejo and was moving northwest at over 19 kmph. Mexico's government issued a tropical storm warning along the southwestern coast from Punta San Telmo to Playa Perula. A tropical storm watch remained in effect for the southwest coast from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes. A watch means tropical storm conditions are possible in the area within two days. Flossie is expected to rapidly intensify into a hurricane late Monday or early Tuesday, then skirt the coast for a few days. While its centre is forecast to remain offshore, moderate rain was likely in parts of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco through early next ...

Crude oil prices fall more than 1% as hurricane Rafael risk recedes

Brent crude oil futures lost 93 cents, or 1.23%, to $74.70 a barrel by 1415 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down $1.05, or 1.45%, at $71.31

Rafael makes landfall in Cuba as Category 3 hurricane, power out on island

Hurricane Rafael made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday as a powerful Category 3 hurricane, shortly after powerful winds knocked out the country's power grid. Forecasters warned Rafael could bring life-threatening storm surges, winds and flash floods to western swaths of the island after it knocked out power and dumped rain on the Cayman Islands and Jamaica the day before. The storm was located 65 kilometres south-southwest of Havana on Wednesday. It had maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and was moving northwest at 22 kph, according to the National Hurricane Centre. The storm is bad news for Cuba, which is struggling with devastating blackouts while recovering from another hurricane two weeks ago that killed at least six people in the eastern part of the island. On Wednesday, the Cuban government issued an alert for the incoming storm while crews in Havana worked to fortify buildings and clear scraps from seaside areas in anticipation of flooding. Classes and public transport were ..

Tropical storm Rafael crosses Jamaica as Cuba prepares for hurricane hit

Tropical Storm Rafael chugged past western Jamaica on Tuesday and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it headed toward Cuba. The storm was located 170 kilometres east of Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands on Tuesday after passing by Jamaica, where little damage was reported. It was picking up speed with maximum sustained winds of 110 kph and was moving northwest at 24 kph, according to the National Hurricane Centre in Miami. The centre said it expected steady to rapid intensification over the next 24 hours. It was expected to pass over or by the Cayman Islands on Tuesday night and make landfall in western Cuba on Wednesday. "Rafael is expected to become a hurricane as it passes near the Cayman Islands with further strengthening before it makes landfall in Cuba," the centre said. The US State Department issued an advisory for Cuba on Tuesday afternoon, offering departure flights to non-essential staff and American citizens, and advising others to reconsider travel to Cuba

Hurricane Milton death toll rises to 14 in Florida; power outage hits life

The death toll from Hurricane Milton has risen to at least 14 after another fatality was reported in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa

Hurricane Milton destroys homes, weakens as it moves across central Florida

Eye of the storm made landfall in Siesta Key, a barrier island town of some 5,400 off Sarasota about 60 miles (100 km) south of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, home to more than 3 million people

Hurricane Milton updates: Worst storm to hit Florida

While people are still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which struck just 2 weeks ago, another storm, Hurricane Milton, is imminent in Florida.

Tropical storm Milton forms in Gulf of Mexico, could intensify near Florida

Tropical Storm Milton has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It is located 220 miles (355 kilometers) north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said Saturday that it could intensify into a hurricane headed to Florida next week. A storm system brewing in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to reach tropical storm status later Saturday, with forecasters warning it could intensify into a hurricane headed to Florida next week. Tropical Depression 14 was about 210 miles (340 kilometers) north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico, the National Hurricane Centre in Miami said in a 10 a.m. EST advisory. Though no coastal watches or warnings were in effect, the hurricane centre said the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys, Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and the northwestern Bahamas should monitor the system's progress. The storm is forecast to strengthen and bring the risk of life-threatening impacts to portions of Florida's West Coast next week, with hurricane and storm

Death toll from Hurricane Helene rises to 227 as bodies recovery continues

The death toll from Hurricane Helene inched up to 227 on Saturday as the grim task of recovering bodies continued more than a week after the monster storm ravaged the Southeast and killed people in six US states. Helene came ashore on September 26 as a Category-4 hurricane and carved a wide swath of destruction as it moved northward from Florida, washing away homes, destroying roads and knocking out electricity and cellphone service for millions. The number of deaths stood at 225 on Friday; two more were recorded in South Carolina the following day. It was still unclear how many people were unaccounted for or missing, and the toll could rise even higher. Helene is the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland US since Katrina in 2005. About half the victims were in North Carolina, while dozens more were killed in Georgia and South Carolina. The city of Asheville, in the western mountains of North Carolina, was particularly battered. A week later, workers used brooms and heavy machine

Helene's death toll reaches 200 as crews try to reach areas hit by storm

Hurricane Helene's death toll reached 200 on Thursday and could rise higher still, as searchers made their way toward the hardest to reach places in the mountains of western North Carolina, where the storm washed out roads and knocked out electricity, water and cellular service. Officials in Georgia and North Carolina added to their states' grim tallies, padding an overall count that has already made Helene the deadliest storm to hit the US mainland since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A week after the storm came ashore in Florida before carving a path of destruction through the Southeast, connections between friends, neighbours and even strangers have provided hope in the worst-affected areas. While government cargo planes brought food and water to these areas and rescue crews waded through creeks searching for survivors, those who made it through the storm leaned on one another for support. Sarah Vekasi, who makes and sells pottery out of her Sarah Sunshine Pottery store in Black ...

Hurricane Kirk strengthens into Category 3 storm in Atlantic Ocean

Hurricane Kirk strengthened into a Category 3 storm in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday and was expected to grow rapidly into a major hurricane, forecasters said. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect, and the storm system was not yet deemed a threat to land. Kirk reached Category 3 status on Wednesday, the Miami-based US National Hurricane Center said. The storm was about 1,855 kilometres east-northeast of the Lesser Antilles with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometres per hour. It was moving northwest at 19 kilometres per hour. A gradual turn toward north-northwest and northward was expected this week. Swells generated by the storm could affect portions of the Leeward Islands and Bermuda by the weekend, likely causing "life-threatening" surf and rip current conditions, the center said. Kirk grew as many people in the US Southeast still lacked running water, mobile phone service and electricity as rescuers searched for people unaccounted for after Hurricane Helene

Harris surveys Hurricane havoc; gives meals, consoles families in Georgia

Vice-President Kamala Harris handed out meals, embraced a shaken family and surveyed Hurricane Helene's "extraordinary" path of destruction through Georgia on Wednesday as she left the campaign trail to pledge federal help and personally take in scenes of toppled trees, damaged homes and lives upended. She visited Augusta, where power lines stretched along the sidewalk and utility poles lay cracked and broken. The vice-president spoke from a lectern erected in front of a house with a fallen tree teetering on its roof, acknowledging those who had died in the disaster while also trying to project a tone of unity and hope for communities now facing long and expensive rebuilds. Harris and President Joe Biden, who visited the Carolinas on Wednesday, were seeking to demonstrate commitment and competence in helping devastated communities after Republican former president Donald Trump's false claims about their administration's response. Harris said she wanted to "personally take a look at