Hurricane Nicholas threatens Texas coast

AFP, Released on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 3:09 p.m.

The National Hurricane Center warned Monday that Hurricane Nicholas, heading toward Texas, will intensify into a hurricane before it hits the U.S. coast.

About 60 kilometers from the coastal city of Madagorta, near Houston, Hurricane Nicholas is expected to make landfall and cross the coast in the evening.

Nicholas, with winds of up to 110km / h, could cause flash floods “especially in urbanized cities,” US meteorologists have warned.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott urged residents to heed the warnings of local authorities.

“We expect heavy rain this evening and tomorrow. I strongly urge you not to go on the road,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner stressed.

At a supermarket in the Houston area, shelves were attacked Monday by residents who came to refuel before the storm, especially with milk or eggs.

The establishment must implement the maximum approved purchase level for water.

Gas stations also saw more customer arrivals than usual.

As of Monday evening, several roads in the districts of Madagorta and Lavaca were closed due to flooding in about a 1.5-hour drive from Houston.

Schools in the Houston area will be closed Tuesday, and school activities scheduled for Monday afternoon have been canceled.

The Houston-based Harris County Flood Management Service also announced on Twitter that its tanks were empty and therefore ready to save as much rain as possible.

Weather services have warned of up to 50 centimeters of rain in southeastern Texas.

Hurricane Nicholas is expected to subside from Tuesday, while continuing in its northeastern direction.

“Lone Star State” is used to pass storms and hurricanes. But as the surface of the oceans warms, scientists say these phenomena are more powerful. In particular, they pose an increasingly significant risk to coastal communities affected by tidal surges caused by rising sea levels.