Hurricane Nate slams into Mississippi bringing 10 feet of flooding and devastating power lines after killing at least 21 in Central America
HURRICANE Nate slammed into the Mississippi last night with destructive winds and torrential rains that flooded streets after killing at least 21 in Central America.
Winds as fast as 89 mph, which make it only a Category 1 storm, made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center.
It is the fourth major storm to strike the US in less than two months and the first hurricane to make landfall in Mississippi since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Florida earlier issued warnings and evacuation orders amid fears of rapidly rising sea waters.
Nate comes on the heels of three other major storms, Harvey, Irma and Maria, which devastated Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.
But it is the weakest in the five-category ranking used by meteorologists, Nate appeared to lack the devastating punch of its predecessors.
"The only thing you can do is prepare," said Gulfport, Mississippi, resident Emmett Bryant. "Here there's nothing really you can do when the storm comes unless you're going to leave. And I don't plan on leaving."
Nate made its initial landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi river on Saturday evening and then made a second landfall early on Sunday near Boloxi, Mississippi, where its 46,000 residents were warned that the highest storm surge could reach 11 to 12 feet.
The storm surge brought flood waters over Highway 90 and up to oceanside casinos in Biloxi, while flood waters swept over streets in communities across Mississippi and Alabama, according to reports on social media.
In Alabama Governor Kay Ivey urged residents in areas facing heavy winds and storm surges to take precautions.
Some 5,000 people in southern Alabama were without power due to Nate, Alabama Power said.
Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches, up to a maximum of 10 inches, were expected east of the Mississippi River from the central Gulf Coast into the Deep South, in the eastern Tennessee Valley, and southern Appalachian mountains, the NHC said.
Rainfall in the Ohio Valley and into the central Appalachians could be 2 to 5 inches with a maximum of 7 inches.
Donald Trump yesterday allowed Louisiana to apply for federal help with preparation and relief.
He tweeted: “Our great team at @FEMA is prepared for #HurricaneNate. Everyone in LA, MS, AL, and FL please listen to your local authorities & be safe!"
Nate barrelled through the Gulf of Mexico wiping out 92 per cent of oil production and 77 per cent of natural gas.
The storm caused widespread flooding across central America on Thursday, killing at least 16 people in Nicaragua, 10 in Costa Rica, two in Honduras and two in El Salvador.
Thousands were forced to evacuate their homes and Costa Rica's government declared a state of emergency.
