The United States authorities have begun this Tuesday to evacuate certain coastal areas of the state of Florida in anticipation of the imminent arrival of tropical storm ‘Helene’, which could make landfall in the next few hours as a third-category hurricane, which would make it the most powerful to reach US territory in more than a year.
The country’s National Hurricane Center has warned of “destructive winds, torrential rains and potentially deadly waves” due to the rapid increase in the speed of the winds of ‘Helene’, which has already reached 96 kilometers per hour and which in the next 48 hours could increase its category to become a hurricane.
In addition, ‘Helene’ could change its trajectory during the next few days, so preparation has been requested in the southeastern part of the country in view of the “exceptional” power of the storm, whose effects will be felt “far beyond Florida”, according to the American news channel CNN.
President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency in the wake of the storm, and the federal government will assist state authorities in their response efforts, including funding for damage repairs, shelter support and evacuation support.
The last time a Category 3 hurricane made landfall in the United States was in August 2023, when Idalia caused significant damage in parts of the southeastern part of the country, especially in northern Florida.
