The aftermath of Hurricane Delta which started as a category 3 hurricane leaves residents of parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Arkansas bracing for possible tornadoes. The hurricane, which has since dwindled to a tropical storm, made landfall close to Creole in the evening of Friday with winds blowing around 100 miles per hour. It then headed inland to Lake Charles, devastating the very regions that were still coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Laura which struck six weeks ago.
Nearly 11 million were in the direct path of Hurricane Delta which mercilessly thumped the coastline of Louisiana and cut power transmission lines. Hurricane Delta sent thousands of inhabitants to emergency shelters and flooded major roads in Louisiana.
Governor Bel Edwards of Louisiana has urged inhabitants to stay vigilant especially during the weekend as the hurricane is expected to cause dangerous storms and winds as well as heavy rainfall and flooding as announced by the National Weather Service. The National Weather Service has speculated that the Hurricane, now a tropical storm will continue to hammer at the Gulf Coast as it travels towards the North. At least 2,500 National Guard troops have been sent to areas that were hit most by the Hurricane.
There have been reports of power outages on Saturday morning after the Hurricane downed several transmission lines along the coast. Over 700,000 homes in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi have lost power. This morning, the National Hurricane Center announced that Hurricane Delta is now being classified as a tropical depression after it showed signs of weakening as it heads over to Mississippi.
Hurricane Delta started as a lethal category 3 hurricane, just six weeks after Hurricane Laura before weakening to a category 2 hurricane on Friday shortly before it made landfall. It weakened further to a category 1 hurricane before it became a tropical storm and finally became a tropical depression just before noon Eastern Time on Saturday.
Forecasters have warned that the Hurricane should still be perceived as dangerous despite the downgrade adding up to 15 inches of rainfall in some areas of Mississippi and Arkansas. Residents of the four states are expected to grace for heavy rainfall and flooding as well as high winds and storms.
“These rainfall amounts will lead to flash, an urban, small stream, and minor river flooding,” the National Hurricane Center warned.
Tornadoes are also a possibility in Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle as Hurricane Delta travels across Northeastern Louisiana. The Hurricane is expected to head for Northern Mississippi and the Tennessee Valley later in the night on Saturday and Sunday.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
