Hurricanes

Threat of back-to-back cyclones amid rise in sea level and climate change

One hurricane is terrible enough, but according to a recent study from Princeton University's engineering department, back-to-back hurricanes may become regular for many regions in the decades to come

Extreme weather events cause $270 bn loss worldwide in 2022: Report

The costliest natural disaster in 2022 was Hurricane Ian in the US, which caused losses of around $100 billion, Xinhua news agency cited the report as saying

Climate change targets pose stark challenge for the developing world

Floods and drought, hurricanes and heat waves will make the path out of poverty much more difficult. But trying to limit climate change poses its own set of problems for the developing world

People trapped, 2 mn without power after hurricane Ian swamps SW Florida

Hurricane Ian left a path of destruction in southwest Florida, trapping people in flooded homes, damaging the roof of a hospital intensive care unit and knocking out power to 2 million people before aiming for the Atlantic Coast. One of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the United States barrelled across the Florida peninsula overnight on Wednesday, threatening catastrophic flooding inland, the National Hurricane Centre warned. The centre's 2 am advisory said Ian was expected to emerge over Atlantic waters later on Thursday, with flooding rains continuing across central and northern Florida. In Port Charlotte, along Florida's Gulf Coast, the storm surge flooded a lower-level emergency room in a hospital even as fierce winds ripped away part of the roof from its intensive care unit, according to a doctor who works there. Water gushed down onto the ICU, forcing staff to evacuate the hospital's sickest patients -- some of whom were on ventilators to other floors, said Dr. Birgit .

Cuba without electricity as power grid collapses after Hurricane Ian

Hurricane Ian knocked out power across all of Cuba and devastated some of the country's most important tobacco farms when it slammed into the island's western tip as a major hurricane Tuesday. Cuba's Electric Union said in a statement that work was underway to gradually restore service to the country's 11 million people during the night. Power was initially knocked out to about 1 million people in Cuba's western provinces, but later the entire grid collapsed. Ian hit a Cuba that has been struggling with an economic crisis and has faced frequent power outages in recent months. It made landfall as a Category 3 storm on the island's western end, devastating Pinar del Ro province, where much of the tobacco used for Cuba's iconic cigars is grown. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated and others fled the area ahead of the arrival of Ian, which caused flooding, damaged houses and blew toppled trees. Authorities were still assessing the damage, although no victims had been reported by

Hurricane Ian lashes Cuba, likely to hit Florida coast as Category 4 storm

A strengthening Hurricane Ian's rain and winds lashed Cuba's western tip, where authorities have evacuated 50,000 people, as it roared on a path that could see it hit Florida's west coast as a Category 4 hurricane. Officials in Cuba's Pinar del Rio province set up 55 shelters, rushed in emergency personnel and took steps to protect crops in Cuba's main tobacco-growing region ahead of Ian's expected landfall early on Tuesday as a major hurricane. The US National Hurricane Centre said the island's west coast could see as much as 14 feet (4.3 metres) of storm surge. Cuba is expecting extreme hurricane-force winds, also life-threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall, hurricane centre senior specialist Daniel Brown told The Associated Press. After passing over Cuba, Ian was forecast to strengthen further over warm Gulf of Mexico waters before reaching Florida as early as Wednesday as a Category 4 storm with top winds of 140 mph (225 km/h). As of Monday, Tampa and St. Petersburg appear

Cuba prepares evacuations as tropical storm Ian strengthens into hurricane

Authorities in Cuba suspended classes in Pinar del Rio province and said they will begin evacuations on Monday as Tropical Storm Ian was forecast to strengthen into a hurricane before reaching the western part of the island on its way to Florida. A hurricane warning was in effect for Grand Cayman and the Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Rio and Artemisa. The US National Hurricane Centre said Ian should reach the far-western part of Cuba late Monday or early Tuesday, hitting near the country's most famed tobacco fields. It could become a major hurricane on Tuesday. Cuba state media outlet Granma said authorities would begin evacuating people from vulnerable areas early on Monday in the far-western province of Pinar del Rio. Classes there have been suspended. At 11 pm on Sunday, Ian was moving northwest at 13 mph (20 kph), about 140 miles (225 kilometres) south of Grand Cayman, according to the centre. It had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph). Meanwhile, ...

US declares public health emergency for Puerto Rico after hurricane Fiona

US Department of Health and Human Service has declared a public health emergency for Puerto Rico due to the severe flooding caused by hurricane Fiona which made a landfall earlier this week

Fiona becomes a hurricane, aims at Puerto Rico, people brace for rains

Fiona strengthened into a hurricane on Sunday as it bore down on Puerto Rico, where people braced for severe wind and torrential rains. Forecasters said historic levels of rain were expected to produce landslides and heavy flooding, with up to 25 inches (64 centimeters) forecast in isolated areas. It's time to take action and be concerned, said Nino Correa, Puerto Rico's emergency management commissioner. Fiona was centered 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of Ponce, Puerto Rico, on Sunday morning. It had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 kph) and was moving west-northwest at 8 mph (13 kph). Anxiety ran high across the island with Fiona due just two days before the anniversary of Hurricane Maria, a devastating Category 4 storm that hit on Sept. 20, 2017, destroying the island's power grid and causing nearly 3,000 deaths. More than 3,000 homes still have only a blue tarp as a roof, and infrastructure remains weak. I think all of us Puerto Ricans who lived through Maria have that

Artificially cooling water to decrease hurricanes ineffective, finds study

The scientists combined air-sea interaction theories with a highly advanced computer model of the atmosphere

Heavy rain hits South Florida, flooding strands vehicles in Miami

Officials in Miami warned drivers about road conditions as many cars were stuck on flooded streets

11 killed, 33 missing after Hurricane Agatha makes landfall in Mexico

At least 11 people were killed and 33 were missing after Hurricane Agatha made landfall in the Mexican state of Oaxaca on Monday

Oil slips as Hurricane Ida weakens, OPEC+ in focus for output increase

Brent crude was down 26 cents, or 0.4%, at $72.44 by 1340 GMT, having reached $73.69 earlier, the highest since August 2

Tropical storm Eta ties record; expected to become hurricane by Monday

Forecasters expect the newly-formed Tropical Storm Eta to become a hurricane by Monday, shortly after the system formed in the Caribbean

Louisiana braces to relive a nightmare as Hurricane Delta nears

Residents in south Louisiana braced to relive a nightmare Friday as rain bands from an approaching Hurricane Delta began soaking

Tropical Storm Josephine formed in Atlantic Ocean; no warnings in effect

Tropical Storm Josephine formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday morning, making it the earliest J-named storm in a record-setting hurricane season.

Trump's suggestion to stop hurricanes: Dropping nuclear bombs on them

The White House declined to comment, but a senior administration official said Trump's objective is not bad

Here's how climate change is making hurricanes, typhoons more destructive

Storm surge occurs when winds pile water up as it approaches land, and many factors

Hurricanes turn 2017 as worst year for insurers as they lose $135 bn

Last year's hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in the United States and Caribbean, wildfires in California and earthquakes in Mexico destroyed homes, infrastructure and numerous lives

Hurricanes, flood insurance and the dangers of 'business as usual'

The aftermath of any disaster provides opportunities to rebuild in a way that reduces the impacts of future such incidents