News: Hurricane Irene’s Threat to Long Island
(Long Island, N.Y.) Hurricane Irene’s destructive path may cross Long Island’s shores late Sunday night. Sources stated that the hurricane may become significantly weaker before ending up as a Category One storm. Reports claimed that Long Island residents have several days to prepare for the onslaught of the storm.
Irene was classified as a Category Three hurricane with winds that reached over a hundred miles per hour as it was moving through the Bahamas. The storm was located about two-hundred miles southeast of the popular vacation spot of Nassau in the Bahamas. Sources stated that store owners boarded up windows while the local governments established emergency shelters for precautionary measures.
Sources stated that some of the tourists in the area decided to leave in fear of damage to the airports. Some claimed that they were afraid of becoming stranded on the Island. Many were forced to leave their hotels as they discovered their keys were no longer working within hours of checking in.
Many locals and tourists watched as trees were pulled from the ground and lampposts were knocked over. It was also reported that shingles were torn off roofs in the wrath of the storm. Some have projected that the storm is expected to reach a Category Four as it moves north toward the northern Bahamas and toward the Eastern U.S. Coastal waters.
A casualty was reported on Tuesday when an elderly woman attempted to cross an overflowing river in her car. Landslides and flooding affected roads in Puerto Rico, leaving drivers stranded roadside. The Puerto Rican government had issued a state of emergency prior to Irene’s destruction.
The National Hurricane Center has projected that Irene may cross over the south fork of Long Island between the hours of early Sunday morning and Monday morning. Determining the exact time the storm will hit is difficult because the hurricane is unpredictable and authorities will have a better idea as the hurricane gets closer. Authorities and experts have claimed that flooding and power outages are likely to occur if Irene touches land.
Reports stated that the governor made a statement that advised residents to stock up on emergency supplies. Such items include nonperishable food, batteries, radios, and first-aid kits.
The national government has estimated that it would cause forty billion dollars in damage if an extreme hurricane hit today. Sources claimed that Irene may cost a potential ten billion dollars in damages.
Sources stated that as the storm moves over warm waters it is going to gain momentum and may develop into a major hurricane. Mandatory evacuations in North Carolina’s coastal Ocracoke and Hyde counties have caused officials to declare a state of emergency. Reports stated that the evacuation will last for at least a day.
