U.S. News: Hurricane Maria Makes Landfall in Dominica; Storm Maintains Strong Winds
Just a few weeks after hurricane Harvey wreaked havoc in Houston and a few days after Irma caused chaos in Florida, another storm is on its way. Weather forecasters have revealed that hurricane Maria is turning out to be as strong as Irma. The path of the storm also indicates that it will pass through the Caribbean and parts of the Bahamas, just as hurricane Irma did.
The Guardian reports that the prime minister of the Caribbean island of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit has said that the area has already been devastated by hurricane Maria. Meanwhile, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) also reported that the storm has amassed maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour. It is now known as a Category 5 storm. Furthermore, the strength of hurricane Maria is expected to raise a storm surge, which can raise water levels by a maximum of nine feet.
According to Time, it is unclear whether hurricane Maria will reach Florida, where relief measures are still being conducted. However, warnings have been raised over at the U.S. Virgin Islands and St. Martin. Furthermore, the effects of the storm could leave some areas of the country uninhabitable due to the water levels.
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The government has already made several decisions in response to the threat of the storm. NBC News reports that the governor of U.S. Virgin Islands has suspended all relief operations for the damage caused by hurricane Irma. They are now shifting their focus to prepare for the likely devastation that Maria will cause. U.S. President Donald Trump has declared a state emergency for the area, and the U.S. Coast Guard has responded by positioning their craft and personnel in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
International governments, including the French and the British, are already moving to brace themselves for the storm. Evacuation orders are already in place. Currently, the extent of what devastation will be caused by hurricane Maria on U.S. soil remains to be unseen
