Virus-weary Texas braces for Hurricane Hanna’s arrival

(AP): Hurricane Hanna rumbled toward the Texas Gulf Coast today, lashing the shoreline with wind gusts, rain and storm surge, and even threatening to bring possible tornadoes to a part of the country trying to cope with a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was expected to make landfall late Saturday afternoon or early evening south of Corpus Christi, the US National Hurricane Center said. As of this afternoon, it had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (129 kph), was centred about 70 miles (113 kilometres) southeast of Corpus Christi and was moving west at eight mph (13 kph).

Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb said he had seen some residents doing last-minute shopping for supplies, but he warned that if that hadn’t been done already, people should stay at home and ride out the storm.

“We’ve been staying at home for five months because of the corona(virus). ... So staying home doesn’t sound real popular, but right now this is a real important matter,” McComb said, adding that residents should remember to wear masks if they have to evacuate their homes.

There was steady rain this afternoon in Corpus Christi and the winds were getting stronger.

Sherry Boehme, who lives in a condo along the beach there, said the storm’s approach had increased the anxiety she has felt during the pandemic. The 67-year-old has mostly stayed at home because of health issues related to chronic lung disease.

“It’s almost like a double whammy to us,” Boehme said Saturday by phone. “I think it’s made a lot of people nervous. ... We’ll get through it. Everybody is good and strong and sticks together.”

Boehme said she’s already felt 60 mph wind gusts at her condo and has seen a surge of water coming from the bay. Most people seemed to be staying home, as traffic was light, she said.

Judge Barbara Canales, Nueces County’s top elected official, said officials were highly concerned about storm surge that was already moving inland. Live webcam footage showed waves sweeping over popular Whitecap Beach near Corpus Christi hours before the hurricane was expected to make landfall.

Power outages; flooding expected

First responders in Corpus Christi proactively placed barricades near intersections to have them ready to go if streets began to flood, McComb said. More than 17,000 people in the Corpus Christi area were without power early this afternoon, according to AEP Texas.

Corpus Christi is in Nueces County, where health officials made headlines when they revealed that 60 infants tested positive for COVID-19 from July 1 to July 16.

Farther south in Cameron County, which borders Mexico, more than 300 confirmed new cases have been reported almost daily for the past two weeks, according to state health figures. The past week has also been the county’s deadliest of the pandemic.

The main hazard from Hanna was expected to be flash flooding. Forecasters said Hanna could bring six to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimetres) of rain through Sunday night — with isolated totals of 18 inches (46 centimetres) — in addition to coastal swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Coastal states scrambled this spring to adjust emergency hurricane plans to account for the virus, and Hanna loomed as the first big test.

South Texas officials’ plans for any possible rescues, shelters and monitoring of the storm will have the pandemic in mind and incorporate social-distancing guidelines and mask wearing. Gov Greg Abbott said various resources to respond to the storm were on standby across the state, including search-and-rescue teams and aircraft.

Tornadoes were also possible Saturday for parts of the lower to middle Texas coastal plain, forecasters said Friday.

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