The hurricane Ian, which already made landfall in Floridaaccording to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), caused “catastrophic” conditions on Wednesday with strong winds, storm surges and flooding in this southeastern state of the United States.
(Also: US airports prepare and cancel flights for Hurricane Ian)
After his passage through Cuba, where he left two dead and a general blackout, Ian, category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale of 5, has sustained winds of 250 km/h and stronger gusts.
(We recommend: Follow the path of Hurricane Ian live)
In the midst of this emergency, images of Tampa Bay have been released, which has experienced a particular situation: strong winds are driving the water away from the coast. That is, as the hurricane neared landfall in the south, the winds blew the water out of the bay, exposing the seabed.
Ian is about to become a Category 5 hurricane, the highest rating on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
(The last: Ian: Hurricane makes landfall in Florida with winds of 240 kilometers per hour)
In Tampa the sea has withdrawn😳.
Ian is an enormous low pressure whose eye has an enormous suction force capable of generating gigantic waves and that is why the sea recedes on the coast. Clear sign of the enormous danger that lies ahead.
Via Matt Tilman of Bayshore Blvd.
ADM pic.twitter.com/BGQo8poHtK— CycloforumsPR (@CycloforumsPR) September 28, 2022
This situation in Tampa Bay worries its inhabitants, since it would indicate that the water will eventually return as storm surge as Ian approaches landfall.
Experts warn that this phenomenon can occur during very powerful hurricanes, as happened in Florida and the Bahamas with Irma in 2017.
(Also read: Hurricane Ian: the areas of Florida that are most threatened)
Versions indicate that the storm surge could be catastrophic in many areas of western Florida, as it would reach 3.5 to 5 meters from Englewood to Bonita Beach.
Ian makes landfall in Florida
The eye of Hurricane Ian made landfall this Wednesday near Cayo Costa, in the southwest of
Florida, with winds from 150 miles per hour (240 km/h)reported the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Ian, whose winds correspond to category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale although bordering on 5, which is the maximum, has been described as an “incredibly dangerous” cyclone by the NHC.
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In addition to its hurricane-force winds, Ian is already producing storm surges in southwestern Florida along the Gulf of Mexico, raising sea levels and inundating coastal areas, as well as torrential rains across most of the state, and tornadoes in areas surrounding Miami.
The previous major hurricane to hit Florida was Michael in 2018. Michael made landfall in Mexico Beach (northwest of the state) on October 10, 2018 with category 5 winds of 160 miles per hour (more than 257.4 km/h), and caused the sea level to rise up to 4, 2 meters.
WILLIAM MORENO HERNANDEZ
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from EFE, AFP and Bloomberg
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