Norma was downgraded to a tropical storm as Hurricane Tammy moved over Bermuda toward the U.S. East Coast
A family crosses near a street flooded by the rains of Hurricane Norma in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico (AP) —
Norma, once a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall Saturday as a Category 1 hurricane near the Pacific resort town of Los Cabos on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Tens of thousands remained without power there before Tammy reached land hours later with the same strength.
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Although Norma’s winds have weakened, they continue to cause damage as the storm moves northeast and crosses the Gulf of California toward mainland Mexico in the state of Sinaloa. Schools there will remain closed on Monday and 120 emergency shelters have been opened, the government said on its official social media.
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The US National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its latest report that Norma was about 120 miles (195 kilometers) west of Culiacan and about 65 miles (105 kilometers) south-southwest of Los Mochis. The storm is moving northeast across the Gulf of California with maximum sustained winds of 60 miles per hour (95 km/h).
The NHC expects Sinaloa and some parts of the southern region of Baja California to continue to experience heavy Norma rains at least until Monday. It warned of floods and mudslides.
In Los Cabos, fallen trees blocked some roads. But without causing any major damage, tourists showed up, some with the intention of leaving the area.
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“They told us that the airport was now open and that we wanted to return to San Diego because the threat of the hurricane was over,” said American Henry Brown as he waited for a taxi to take him and his wife to San Jose del was supposed to bring Cabo Airport, which resumed operations in the morning.
Brown admitted that the wind was very strong on Saturday, but said they had no major problems as they stayed sheltered in the hotel.
Others, like American Noah Johnson and his family, took a walk to see how the beach had been deserted but were ready to continue their vacation, which ends Tuesday, even if they regretted that many restaurants and others Shops remained closed.
But to the south there was no flight from La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur. It rained so heavily that the airport was closed. Streams of water carrying tree trunks, dirt and trash crossed many highways, blocking many entrances to the city. Parts of the security forces made their rounds and looked for people in need of help.
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In the city’s bay, 400 people were left on a ship carrying them from Sinaloa to Baja California Sur and caught in the storm. They couldn’t leave the ferry because the port was still closed, said Santiago Jorge Morgado, commander of the Fourth Marine Region in La Paz.
As of midday Sunday, authorities in Baja California Sur had reported no fatalities and only mentioned that an Argentine tourist had been injured. The main damage was to boats, three of which sank, Admiral Morgado said.
The Mexican Navy said it had 5,000 marines deployed to provide ships, helicopters, trucks, food, water and first aid to states affected by Norma.
Mexican soldiers remove tires from mud caused by Hurricane Norma on a beach in San San, Cabo, Mexico, Saturday, Oct. 2021. %202023.%20(AP%20Photo/Fernando%20Llano)
Meanwhile, Antigua and Barbuda escaped from Hurricane Tammy with no reported injuries. A late and sudden shift saved the mainland from a direct hit, leaving the sister island exposed to the full force of the system during the late night hours on Saturday.
To the best of my knowledge, no significant damage was caused. At least we got some rain. It may not be much rain, but it is much needed rain,” a relieved Prime Minister Gaston Browne told The Associated Press.
The hurricane hit the 62-square-mile island around 9:15 p.m. Saturday, bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 92 miles per hour. The storm downed some power lines, triggered an island-wide power outage, and caused minor damage to some homes. However, no major damage to infrastructure was reported.
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At least two families had to be evacuated by a local rescue team, Barbuda’s disaster coordinator Tessa Webber told The Associated Press.
Tammy arrived as the memory and trauma of Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm that leveled the island in 2017, lingers on Barbudans’ minds.
Mainland Antigua fared much better, with few broken tree branches and broken utility lines reported.
The acting power manager of the country’s only utility, Lyndon Francis, could not yet provide a timeline for restoration work in Barbuda and the few communities in Antigua that lost power during the storm. Crews were out assessing the damage, he said.
Government offices, banks and most non-retail businesses closed early Friday to allow employees to prepare. Residents rushed to stock up on essentials, causing gridlock across St. John’s and near popular malls and supermarkets.