Hurricane Delta
With hurricane season still in its peak, yet another hurricane has hit the South. Hurricane Delta made landfall in the states surrounding Louisiana, many of which are still struggling to recover from numerous smaller tropical storms that have hit recently. After hurricane Sally hit the United States, another hurricane was expected to form as early as October 5th. As with Hurricane Sally, Delta formed near Mexico and the Gulf Coast. Delta received media attention when it was confirmed to be a category 4 hurricane on October 6th, heading straight for Louisiana.
According to CNN, wind gusts of up to 145 mph were predicted before Delta made landfall. Meteorologists also reported that Delta was heading toward the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and Cuba as well. Delta brought with it heavy rainfall and abnormally high tide levels. With the destructive potential of a category 4 hurricane, states of emergency were declared by the governors of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi ahead of time to prepare residents for the incoming storm. As governor Kay Ivey said about the hurricane to CNN, “As residents along the Gulf Coast know all too well, these storms are unpredictable, and I strongly encourage everyone to take Hurricane Delta seriously”.
Delta arrived in Louisiana on October 10th, but downgraded to a category 3 hurricane. Although the hurricane weakened, it still did massive damage to Louisiana by causing flash floods and heavy winds. Later on, Delta reached Mississippi and caused multiple small tornadoes to form in nearby states like Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Texas and Mississippi also faced floods and tornadoes. On the 12th of October, Delta finally disappeared, but left more damage than anticipated.
The damage done by Delta has left hundreds of thousands of people without power and homes and businesses destroyed. A total of 4 casualties were reported by each of the affected states. The tornadoes caused by Delta obliterated houses in various counties. Louisiana is continuing to recover from the total damage caused not only by Delta, but by each of the tropical storms that have affected the area during this hurricane season. Delta was the fifth hurricane to hit the U.S. this season, and was similar to hurricane Laura in terms of the path it took. Luckily, hurricane season is coming to end, which will give residents in affected areas the much needed time to recover from the recent string of storms.
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