At least five people have died as Tropical Storm Debby slams into the U.S. coast as it slowly makes its way across the southeastern part of the country, bringing with it heavy rainfall and potentially catastrophic flooding.
Hurricane Debby weakened and became a hurricane again on Monday evening, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). storm tropical. It was accompanied by wind gusts reaching speeds of 75 kilometers per hour and heavy rainfall. The element moved over the state of Georgia at an extremely slow pace, at a speed of only 11 km/h, and according to forecasts, it is to slow down even more.
Five fatalities
According to CNN, severe weather conditions contributed to the deaths of at least five people – four in Florida and one in Georgia. A 13-year-old died in Levy County, Florida, when a tree fell on his house. Three people died in car accidents – a 64-year-old from Tampa and a 38-year-old woman and a 12-year-old in Dixie County. In Georgia, a tree fell on a house and killed a 19-year-old.
As Debby hit the western coast of Florida, high storm surges surged deep into the land. Sarasota County police said about 500 people had to be evacuated. Officers were moving inflatable boats through the streets, helping people trapped in homes and cars.
Slow but dangerous
As meteorologists emphasized, Debby's most serious threat is related to the storm's slow movement over Georgia and South Carolina. According to forecasts, the element is expected to cover less than 200 miles (320 kilometers) from Tuesday morning to Thursday afternoon. That means it will move at an average speed of about 3 mph (4.8 km/h) – not very fast walking pace for most adults.
But that slow pace comes with the risk of Debby’s heavy rain accumulating. The NHC predicted “historic” rainfall totals for parts of Georgia and South Carolina. Police in Charleston, South Carolina, posted photos of flooded streets ahead of the storm’s direct passage and urged people to avoid travel. By Friday, as much as 762 liters of water per square meter could accumulate in some areas, causing catastrophic flooding.
– With these rainfall totals, the impacts will be widespread and severe, the National Weather Service in Charleston warned. – We are forecasting flooded homes and structures, damaged roads, and unprecedented flooding along rivers and streams.
Savannah, Georgia Mayor Van Johnson said the storm's arrival is terrifying. Parts of the city could be underwater in days, and despite a curfew, officials fear residents will venture out at night, putting themselves and rescuers at risk.
“We're preparing for a once-in-a-century storm, not a once-in-a-millennium storm, and that's what's headed our way,” he told CNN.
Main image source: PAP/EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH