Tropical Storm Nicholas, which made landfall in Texas on Tuesday morning in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane, is causing heavy rains that could cause deadly flooding and has already left more than 500,000 customers without electricity, mostly in the US. Houston area.
Nicholas was strengthened as it passed through the warm waters of the Gulf, shortly before impacting the eastern part of the Texas Matagorda Peninsula with winds of 75 miles per hour (mph), according to the National Center. of Hurricanes (NHC, for its acronym in English), which warned that it can discharge up to 18 inches of rain.
Although it was degraded to tropical storm as it climbed inland, “Nicholas ‘heavy rains will affect areas of Texas’ upper coast, through Louisiana, south of Mississippi and the far south. from Alabama until the middle of this week, ”the NHC explained on Twitter.
“The danger of cyclonic tsunami flooding continues along the Texas coast from Sargent to Sabine Pass, including Galveston Bay, with potential life-threatening flooding from Sabine Pass to Rutherford Beach, Louisiana,” he said. the weather center.
[Alrededor de 9 millones de personas en Texas y Louisiana se encuentran bajo riesgo de inundación por Nicholas]
Forecasts indicate that it will fall between 6 and 12 inches of rain and up to 18 inches in isolated areas, which could lead to dangerous floods such as those that affected Louisiana and the East Coast after the Ida Pass two weeks ago.
At eight o’clock in the morning, East Coast time, the storm was about 15 miles south-southwest of Houston and had sustained maximum winds of 60 miles per hour.
The onslaught of the storm has also led to numerous power outages, affecting more than half a million customers in Texas, according to the website www.poweroutage.us. In Louisiana, more than 93,000 subscribers were in the same situation.
The vast majority of homes without light are in the Houston metropolitan area. a high-risk area that could suffer flooding for the seventh year in a row, one of the challenges posed by the climate emergency in large coastal cities.
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey left about 150,000 homes underwater in this area of Texas.
Nicholas’ arrival further affected the city’s air traffic, where dozens of flights had to be canceled.
Prior to the impact of this weather system, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of emergency in 17 counties in its history and mobilized rescue teams and resources in the Houston area. and along the Texas Gulf Coast.
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“This is a storm that could leave heavy rains, as well as wind and probably flooding, in several regions along the Gulf Coast. We urge you to listen to local weather alerts as they pay attention to local warnings, “Abbot said in a message posted on your Twitter account.
Local authorities also urged citizens not to drive and stay away from downed power lines.
The storm is expected to move east and pass over Louisiana between Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing up to 14 inches of rain to an area that had already been denied by Ida’s heavy rainfall.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Sunday night ahead of the storm’s arrival.
In Mexico, authorities issued a warning for the coasts of Tamaulipas and further forecast heavy rains for the states of Veravruz and Tabasco.
So far this year 5 hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic basin, Elsa, Grace, Henri, Ida and Larry, of which Grace, Ida and Larry achieved the highest category, 3 or more.
With information from NBC, The Associated Press and Efe.