Hurricane Zeta brought strong winds and heavy rains to Mexico's Caribbean coast before weakening to a tropical storm Tuesday and heading towards the United States.

There were no reports of deaths or significant damage after Zeta made landfall near the resort town of Tulum late Monday, the second hurricane to hit the Yucatan Peninsula this month.

Zeta had strengthened in the Caribbean from a tropical storm into a Category 1 hurricane -- the weakest on a scale of five -- but it lost strength as it moved over land and headed towards the Gulf of Mexico.

At 1200 GMT, the storm was located near the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, packing maximum sustained winds of around 70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Quintana Roo state, home to the beach resorts of Tulum and Cancun, appeared to have escaped serious damage or casualties, governor Carlos Joaquin said.

Airports were operating and hospitals were unaffected, he said.

"Work is being done to restore public services that were lost in some cities and neighborhoods," Joaquin added.

Authorities had warned residents and tourists to stay indoors and opened shelters for people who felt unsafe at home.

People had stocked up on groceries as well as wood and tape to cover their windows, while motorists lined up to buy gasoline.

"It's better to be prepared because with Wilma (a Category 5 hurricane that hit in 2005) we suffered a lot with no water, electricity or anything to eat," said Cancun resident Lucia Castro.

The storm is expected to make landfall in the United States by Wednesday night, the Miami-based NHC said.

"Zeta is forecast to be at or near hurricane strength when it approaches the northern Gulf Coast," it added.

On October 7, Hurricane Delta hit the Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 2 storm, toppling trees and ripping down power lines, but without causing any deaths.

Thousands of tourists were forced to spend the night in emergency shelters along the Riviera Maya coastline.

Zeta is the 28th storm of an unusually active Atlantic hurricane season.

In September, meteorologists were forced to use the Greek alphabet to name Atlantic storms for only the second time ever, after the 2020 hurricane season blew through their usual list, ending on Tropical Storm Wilfred.

Scientists say there will likely be an increase in powerful storms as the ocean surface warms due to climate change.

Vietnam to evacuate half a million as Typhoon Molave approaches
Quang Nam, Vietnam (AFP) Oct 27, 2020 - Flood-ravaged Vietnam has begun evacuating more than half a million people from its central coastal region as it braces for Typhoon Molave, the fourth storm to hit the country in weeks.

Schools and beaches have been closed and many flights cancelled ahead of the severe typhoon.

It is forecast to make landfall south of Danang around 1:00 pm (0600 GMT) Wednesday, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometres (85 miles) per hour, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.

More heavy rain is expected across the region, which has since early October suffered severe flooding and landslides that have claimed 130 lives.

Floodwater has inundated 178,000 homes, said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

With some houses still under water, residents are preparing for the arrival of Molave, which killed at least three people as it blew through the central Philippines.

More than 500,000 people will be moved to temporary accommodation, Vietnam's Disaster Management Authority said.

In Quang Nam province, Luong Thanh Vy, 39, took shelter at a high school.

"We had to evacuate, leaving all our property behind," he said.

"We tried our best to shore up our house but if the typhoon is as strong as they predict, nothing can withstand its power."

Hoang Phuc Lam, deputy head of Vietnam's national forecasting centre, said "Molave will be one of the worst storms, with the strongest winds, of the past 20 years," according to state media.

Vietnam is prone to natural disasters in the rainy season between June and November, with central coastal provinces commonly worst affected.

Related Links
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Seven fishermen missing as Typhoon Molave drenches Philippines
Pola, Philippines (AFP) Oct 26, 2020
Searches were under way Monday for seven fishermen in the Philippines as a typhoon swept across the archipelago, flooding low-lying areas and forcing thousands of people into emergency shelters. Packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometres (80 miles) per hour, Typhoon Molave made landfall Sunday on the southern end of the main island of Luzon before moving west across the country. Villages and farmland in the typhoon's path were flooded while powerful winds toppled trees and power lines. ... read more