As Texas Reels From Hurricane Damage, Hawaii Braces For Impact

НОВОРОССИЯ.RU
27 Июл 2020, 05:54

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Broken boats and floating debris at a marina in Corpus Christi are among the damage caused by Hurricane Hanna, which was downgraded to a tropical storm and continued to shower Texas with heavy rain on Sunday.

Eric Gay/AP

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Eric Gay/AP

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And in the Pacific, Hawaii is bracing for an imminent hurricane of its own.

Hurricane Douglas is expected to pass «dangerously close to, or over, the islands» on Sunday, bringing a «triple threat of hazards» including high winds, flooding rainfall and high surf, according to the National Hurricane Center.

A hurricane warning is in effect for Maui County, Kauai County and Oahu, and a tropical storm warning is in effect for Hawaii County.

«Hurricane conditions are expected in portions of Maui County today, on Oahu by this afternoon, and on Kauai and Niihau tonight,» wrote the National Weather Service in Honolulu. «Tropical Storm conditions are imminent across the Big Island.»

The NWS Forecast Service in Honolulu predicts Douglas will leave the area by Monday night.

President Trump approved Hawaii’s emergency declaration on Saturday.

Like Texas, the state is also wrestling with how to protect public safety while containing the spread of the coronavirus, which has broken records in recent days.

On Saturday, Hawaii reported its largest single-day increase of 73 new coronavirus cases, constituting its third consecutive day of record numbers.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige said that across the state, 625 people in isolation of quarantine due to COVID-19 have affirmed they will shelter in place during the storm.

But he also temporarily modified the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine rule for inter-island travelers, allowing them to venture out carefully in order to prepare.

«If you are in quarantine, to the extent possible, please have supplies and materials delivered and lean on friends and family to help build your supply kit,» he said. «As a last resort, you are allowed to break quarantine, but only to procure necessary supplies and materials.»

The Hawaii Department of Health will not be conducting COVID-19 tests on Sunday because of the storm, but said it expects to resume testing late Monday or on Tuesday.