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Hurricane Emily Drenches Mexico, Downs Power Lines
Matamoros, Mexico (AFP) Jul 20, 2005 Deadly Hurricane Emily made its second landfall in Mexico Wednesday, slamming onto the northeastern coast with winds of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) per hour that downed power lines and sent debris flying. Pounding rains drenched Tamaulipas state as well as neighboring south Texas, where local television reported that tornadoes spawned by the hurricane damaged several homes and took down power lines. Despite the threat of dangerous floods, there were no immediate reports of casualties in the area. Emily landed before dawn near the fishing village of San Fernando, 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the US border, following a run over the Caribbean and Mexico's Yucatan peninsula that left 10 people dead. It packed winds of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) per hour when it crashed onto the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, but lost much of its punch during the day as it moved inland. It knocked down power lines and sent signage flying in sparsely inhabited coastal areas of Mexico, where a total of 17,000 people had been evacuated to emergency shelters ahead of time. The US National Hurricane Center warned that rainfall in northeastern Mexico could reach as much as 38 centimeters. "These rains could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," said NHC forecaster Stacy Stewart. In south Texas, at least 23,000 people lost electricity, according to the AEP Texas utility company. The US Coast Guard, meanwhile said one of its helicopter crews rescued four fishermen who had tried to ride out the storm after their 30-meter (90-foot) shrimper developed engine trouble, but decided to abandon ship after their anchor chain broke in heavy seas off the Texas city of Corpus Cristi. At 4 pm (1800 GMT) Emily was located 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Monterrey, Mexico, and moving west at 19 kilometers (12 miles) per hour. Its wind strength was down to 110 kilometers (70 miles) per hour. After crossing the Caribbean, Emily had slammed onto Mexico's Caribbean coast Monday as a rare Category four hurricane, on a scale of five, after sending tens of thousands of tourists fleeing Cancun and other popular resorts. A German man was electrocuted and killed Sunday in the Mexican resort of Playa del Carmen as he prepared his house for the hurricane. But the peninsula at the southeastern tip of Mexico escaped comparatively lightly. Authorities estimated damage at about 25 million dollars (20 million euros) and said tourist facilities were hardly affected. Emily has spared most Mexican and US oil platforms in the Gulf, many of which had been evacuated hours before the winds and surf picked up. Emily is the second Atlantic hurricane of the year, having formed just days after Hurricane Dennis roared across the Caribbean and into Florida, leaving at least 62 dead, mostly in Haiti. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters When the Earth Quakes A world of storm and tempest
New Orleans Colleges To Reopen This Week
New Orleans, Louisiana (AFP) Jan 05, 2006Thousands of students and faculty are returning to New Orleans' eight colleges and universities this week for the first time since hurricane Katrina flooded the city four months ago. |
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