The post Hurricane Sally Makes Landfall, Bringing Threat Of Historic Flooding first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

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Sally made landfall near Gulf Shores around 4:45 a.m. CT with sustained winds of 105 mph — and it was barely weaker near the Alabama-Florida line two hours later.

With Sally’s slow pace — generally 3 mph — some areas already have collected more than 15 inches of rain and could receive up to 35 inches by storm’s end.

Pieces of hazardous debris “have become too numerous to list,” police in Pensacola, Florida, warned, urging drivers to stay off roads.

“Nothing is going to go away anytime soon,” National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham told CNN. “The winds, the torrential rainfall, the slow movement and the storm surge — this is a dangerous situation all around.”

People walk on flooded streets in search of their vehicle early Wednesday in Pensacola, Florida.

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On Florida’s Pensacola Beach, sounds of transformers exploding and metal scraping along the ground — debris from torn roofs — could be heard early Wednesday.

Power has been knocked out for more than 500,000 customers in Alabama and Florida alone, utility tracker PowerOutage.us reported.

The National Weather Service office in Mobile declared a flash flood emergency for “severe threat to human life & catastrophic damage from a flash flood.”

“This is a LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!!” the NWS Mobile office tweeted.

Tracking Sally
See maps »

Rainfall totals of 10 to 35 inches are possible across parts of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, from Mobile Bay to Tallahassee, forecasters say.

Related article: 5 tropical cyclones are in the Atlantic at the same time for only the second time in history.

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The storm’s slow forward speed is expected to continue through Wednesday as it turns to the north and then northeast, taking with it strong winds and more flooding potential.

Central Alabama and central Georgia could eventually see 4 to 12 inches of rain, with significant flash flooding possible. Parts of the Carolinas could receive 4 to 9 inches of rain by later in the week.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for much of the coast and low-lying areas from Mississippi to Florida, and shelters opened to accommodate evacuees.

Florida’s National Guard has activated 175 members to prepare for search-and-rescue operations, according to the Division of Emergency Management.

Damage in the Mobile area, hours before landfall

As wind and rain whipped before midnight, enormous trees already had been felled west of Mobile, Alabama.

Workers in raincoats endured Sally’s bands as they worked alongside a digger truck to move thick piles of branches at Campfire and Ponderosa drives, CNN affiliate WALA reported.

Similar scenes unfolded around the same time — still about six hours before Sally came ashore — in midtown Mobile and across Mobile Bay in Fairhope, Alabama.

Businesses close and military bases restrict access

Businesses shut down ahead of the storm, with Walmart announcing 54 closures due to Sally, company spokesman Scott Pope told CNN on Tuesday.

Shelves were emptied by people storm prepping ahead of Sally in Alabama.

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“We are tracking the storm in real time and have activated our Emergency Operations Center in order to support our associates in the impacted areas,” Pope said.

Across the Gulf Coast, three military installations announced that only mission-essential personnel should report to work Wednesday.

The installations are the Naval Air Station Pensacola and Eglin Air Force Base in Pensacola, along with Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, home to the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, often called the “Hurricane Hunters.”

Residents prepared for a serious storm

People began preparing for Sally over the weekend, filling sandbags, grabbing supplies and prepping their homes.

Shelters have been opened to house evacuees.

Merrill Warren of Summerdale, Alabama, which sits about 16 miles inland from the Gulf, told CNN he brought in furniture, purchased gas and other supplies, and got his generator ready for the storm.

On Tuesday night, he reported that heavy rains and winds of up to 39 mph had already hit inland. Warren was more concerned about the potential for increased rainfall and surges than anything else, he said.

“This isn’t the first Category 1 Hurricane that I have been through. I have been there through Hurricane Nate and Tropical Storm Gordon,” Warren said. “I’m more worried about the rain for this one … The rain and storms surge are definitely going to be the bigger issue with a storm moving at 2 mph.”

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CNN’s Gary Tuchman, Ed Lavandera, Devon Sayers, Joe Sutton, Sharif Paget, Micahel Guy, Dave Hennen, Rebekah Riess, Kay Jones and Amanda Jackson contributed to this report.

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Source:  https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/16/weather/hurricane-sally-wednesday/index.html

[Disclaimer]

The post Hurricane Sally’s center roars into Alabama, and its crawling pace threatens catastrophic flooding first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) says Hurricane Sally made landfall at 4:45 a.m. CDT near Gulf Shores, Alabama as a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. The hurricane has left thousands without power near coastal areas of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle region.

“Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding likely along portions of the north-central Gulf Coast,” the NHC said.

Follow below for the latest updates. Mobile users click here.

In Gulf Shores, Ala., storm surge flows across Highway 182. Sally made landfall near Gulf Shores early Wednesday as a category 2 hurricane. https://twitter.com/landon1988/status/1306163858906722304

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National Hurricane Center@NHC_Atlantic

Hurricane #Sally Advisory 21A: Hurricane-Force Winds Occurring in Pensacola Florida. Catastrophic and Life-Threatening Flooding Likely Along Portions Of the Northern Gulf Coast. http://go.usa.gov/W3H

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FoxLiveBlogTeam

Along the coast, storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a hurricane, says the National Hurricane Center. https://www.foxnews.com/us/best-way-to-prepare-for-a-storm-surge

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FoxLiveBlogTeam

As Hurricane Sally roared onto Alabama’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday morning, some are anticipating the storm will have a costly impact. Damage from Sally is expected to reach $2 billion to $3 billion, according to Chuck Watson of Enki Research, which tracks tropical storms and models the cost of their damage. Read more on Fox Business: https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/hurricane-sally-landfall-oil-fields-fuel-demand

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FoxLiveBlogTeam

Hurricane Sally’s slow movement is going to be a “prolonged water event” along the Gulf Coast. Some places could see up to 30 inches of rainfall, according to Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean. Watch more here, including on where other storms in the Atlantic Ocean are located. https://video.foxnews.com/v/6191335519001#sp=show-clips

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FoxLiveBlogTeam

Some of the worst impacts from Hurricane Sally on Wednesday morning were in Pensacola, Fla. Video posted to Twitter showed heavy rain and streets covered with water. “Starting to get pieces from various buildings come off. Insane gusts,” @Weathermansam77 tweeted. https://twitter.com/Weathermansam77/status/1306195218316824576

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FoxLiveBlogTeam

Hurricane Sally has made landfall in Alabama but the storm’s slow movement is still creating problems along the cost. Jeff Lindner, a meterologist with the Harris County Flood Control District in Texas, shared on Twitter that storm surge from the hurricane is moving into Pensacola as Florida’s Panhandle sees impacts from teh storm.  “Storm surge moving into Pensacola FL with strong southerly winds in eastern eyewall of Sally,” he tweeted. https://twitter.com/JeffLindner1/status/1306187033245880321

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FoxLiveBlogTeam

Hurricane Sally has made landfall in Alabama but the storm’s slow movement is still creating problems along the cost. Jeff Lindner, a meterologist with the Harris County Flood Control District in Texas, shared on Twitter that storm surge from the hurricane is moving into Pensacola as Florida’s Panhandle sees impacts from teh storm.  “Storm surge moving into Pensacola FL with strong southerly winds in eastern eyewall of Sally,” he tweeted. https://twitter.com/JeffLindner1/status/1306187033245880321

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Jeff Lindner@JeffLindner1

Storm surge moving into Pensacola FL with strong southerly winds in eastern eyewall of #sally #flwx

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FoxLiveBlogTeam

Gusty winds and heavy rain are lashing Mobile, Ala. as Hurricane Sally moves inland. Fox News’ Ashley Stromer reported the latest on “Fox & Friends.” Watch here:  https://video.foxnews.com/v/6191326188001#sp=show-clips

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FoxLiveBlogTeam

The latest from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) on where Hurricane Sally is located. AS of 6 a.m. CDT the center of the storm is located right over Gulf Shores, Ala., moving north-northeast at 3 mph.  “Hurricane-force winds spreading inland over southeastern Alabama and the western portion of the Florida Panhandle,” the NHC said. “Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding likely along portions of the north-central Gulf Coast.”
https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1306188110737412097  (Edited)

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National Hurricane Center@NHC_Atlantic

Here is the 6 AM CDT 9/16 update for #Sally: Hurricane-force winds spreading inland over southeastern Alabama and the western portion of the Florida Panhandle. Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding likely along portions of the north-central Gulf Coast.

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FoxLiveBlogTeam

Damage can be seen to the interior of a home in Mobile as Hurricane Sally roared ashore early Wednesday in ALabama. Video posted to Twitter by Hill Robinson shows major damage to the interior of a home after the roof appeared to cave in. “All ok. Just a scrape and a bruise or two,” Robinson said in a subsequent tweet. “Very blessed!” https://twitter.com/hill_robinson/status/1306173116473802753

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Source: https://www.foxnews.com/us/hurricane-sally-expected-to-produce-historic-life-threatening-flooding-live-updates

[Disclaimer]

The post Live Updates: Hurricane Sally makes landfall in Alabama as Category 2 storm, ‘life-threatening’ flooding expected first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The post Study: Hurricane Maria killed nearly 3,000 first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

Puerto Rico’s governor on Tuesday raised the official death toll from Hurricane Maria from 64 to 2,975, in response to a new study that found the initial numbers reported were undercounted.

The study, an independent investigation ordered by the local government, found that nearly 3,000 people died in the hurricane, which hit the island in September 2017.

Gov. Ricardo Rossello responded to the study by the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University by officially raising the toll.

The number is more than double the government’s previous estimated death toll of 1,400.

“We never anticipated a scenario of zero communication, zero energy, zero highway access,” Rossello said. “I think the lesson is to anticipate the worst.”

A previous study led by a team of Harvard scientists found that more than 4,600 people were killed in the devastation, dismissing the initial toll of 64 as a “substantial underestimate.”

BBC REPORTER COVERING HAWAII HURRICANE HIT BY FALLING TREE DURING LIVE REPORT: ‘THAT WAS UNEXPECTED’

Rossello said he’s forming a commission to study the response to the storm. He said a registry of vulnerable people will also be created prior to any future hurricanes.

There’s no national standard for how to calculate disaster-related deaths. While the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports only direct deaths, such as those caused by flying debris or drowning, some local governments may include indirect deaths from things as heart attacks and house fires.

This photo, from NOAA, shows Hurricane Maria at its strongest on Sept. 20, 2017.  (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Researchers with George Washington said they counted deaths over the span of six months — a much longer period than usual — because so many people were without power during that time.

The number of dead has political implications for the Trump administration, which was accused of responding half-heartedly to the disaster. Shortly after the storm, when the official death toll stood at 16, President Trump marveled over the small loss of life compared to that of “a real catastrophe like Katrina.”

HURRICANE LANE CREATED A STEAMY WHITE-OUT AT HAWAII’S KILAUEU VOLCANO

Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans in 2005, was directly responsible for about 1,200 deaths, according to the NHC. That does not include indirect deaths of the sort the George Washington researchers counted in Puerto Rico.

In response to the death roll rise, the White House said Tuesday that “the federal government has been, and will continue to be, supportive of Governor Rosselló’s efforts to ensure a full accountability and transparency of fatalities resulting from last year’s hurricanes – the American people, including those grieving the loss of a loved one, deserve no less.”

The administration said they’re “focused on Puerto Rico’s recovery and preparedness for the current Hurricane season.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The post Puerto Rico governor raises Hurricane Maria death toll from 64 to 2,975 first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

Water levels are already rising on the coast of the US state where a huge storm surge is expected.

Some 6.3 million people had been told to evacuate, but the state governor said on Saturday it was now too late to leave for anyone remaining.

At least 24 people have died after Irma earlier hit several Caribbean islands.

With maximum sustained winds of 120mph (193km/h), Irma hurricane has now weakened to a category three hurricane after making landfall in Cuba’s north-east late on Friday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) says in its latest advisory at 03:00 GMT on Sunday.

But Irma is expected to strengthen and will remain a powerful hurricane as it approaches Florida, the NHC says.

It warns that a “life-threatening storm surge” is expected in the Florida Keys – a chain of small islands in Florida’s south – and also the west coast of Florida.

What is happening in Florida?
Irma is predicted to hit the coast on Sunday morning, but the outer bands are already affecting the south of the state and central Miami is being lashed by heavy rain.

The Florida Keys have suffered some minor damage and are expected to bear the brunt of the storm in the coming hours.

The head of emergencies agency Fema, Brock Long, told CNN there were “no safe areas within the Keys”.

“You put your life in your own hands by not evacuating,” he added.

“If you’re in an evacuation zone, you’ve got to get to a shelter need to get to a shelter… there’s not many hours left”, Florida Governor Rick Scott warned residents.

“The winds are coming, there is not gonna be a lot of time now to be able to drive very far.”

Thousands of people on the mainland are currently without electricity.

The western Gulf coast is expected to be worst affected, with cities such as Tampa and St Petersburg in the path of the storm.

The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about three million, has not been hit by a major hurricane since 1921.

Some 50,000 people have gone to shelters throughout the state, the governor said. Media reports say shelters in some areas have been filling up quickly and some people have been turned away.

Miami city and Broward county have imposed curfews to help clear the roads of traffic.

Which other areas have already been hit?

–Cuba: Officials have reported “significant damage”, without giving further details, but said there were no confirmed casualties yet, the AFP news agency reports

–St Martin and St Barthelemy: Six out of 10 homes on St Martin, an island shared between France and the Netherlands, now uninhabitable, French officials say. They said nine people had died and seven were missing in the French territories, while two are known to have died in Dutch Sint Maarten

–Turks and Caicos Islands: Widespread damage, although extent unclear

–Barbuda: The small island is said to be “barely habitable”, with 95% of the buildings damaged. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne estimates reconstruction will cost $100m (£80m). One death has been confirmed

–Anguilla: Extensive damage with one person confirmed dead

–Puerto Rico: More than 6,000 residents of the US territory are in shelters and many more without power. At least three people have died

–British Virgin Islands:Widespread damage reported, and five dead

–US Virgin Islands: Damage to infrastructure was said to be widespread, with four deaths confirmed

–Haiti and the Dominican Republic: Both battered by the storm, but neither had as much damage as initially feared

What about Hurricanes Jose and Katia?
Another storm, Jose, further out in the Atlantic behind Irma, is now a category four hurricane, with winds of up to 145mph.

It is following a similar path to Irma and already hampering relief efforts in some of the worst affected areas.

Residents of Barbuda, left the island as Jose approached but it is no longer expected to hit.

However, hurricane warnings are in place for St Martin and St Barthelemy, both also hit by Irma.

Hurricane Katia, in the Gulf of Mexico, a category one storm with winds of up to 75mph, made landfall on the Mexican Gulf coast in the state of Veracruz late on Friday.

It has now weakened to a tropical depression.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41216890

The post Hurricane Irma: Florida braces for storm arrival first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.