Hurricane Laura gains strength, could cause ‘unsurvivable’ storm surge

Hurricane Laura gained strength as it headed towards the US’ southern coastline on Thursday night, with meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasting an “unsurvivable storm surge.”

The Category 4 hurricane is expected to reach the US southern coastline near the Texas-Louisiana border between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. local time on Thursday (06:00 to 09:00 UTC).

Winds could reach up to 233 kilometers per hour (145 miles per hour) before landfall, the Miami-based forecaster said. So far, Laura had maximum sustained winds of 220 kph.

The authorities have previously ordered over half a million people to evacuate their homes ahead of the hurricane.

‘Unsurvivable’ surge

The storm surge could penetrate up to 48 kilometers (30 miles) inland from the coastline between Sea Rim State Park, Texas, and Intracoastal City, Louisiana. The highest water levels are expected in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, the NHC said.

“To think that there would be a wall of water over two stories high coming on shore is very difficult for most to conceive, but that is what is going to happen,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Benjamin Schott. Most of Louisiana’s Cameron Parish would be underwater at some point, he added.

“The word ‘unsurvivable’ is not one that we like to use, and it’s one that I’ve never used before,” said Schott of the storm surge.

One highway in Louisiana was already covered in standing water as Laura’s outer bands moved ashore.

How dangerous is a Category 4 storm?

Winds in this category will cause “catastrophic damage,” according to the NHC. The center states that winds will cause severe damage to well-built homes including to roofs and possibly exterior walls. The winds will also snap or uproot trees and blow down power poles. Power outages could last for weeks and most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months.

The powerful storm has already devastated parts of the Caribbean, killing at least 24 people and damaging thousands of homes and electricity infrastructure.

kmm/dj (Reuters AP)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/hurricane-laura-gains-strength-could-cause-unsurvivable-storm-surge/a-54710968?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf