S/E Asian Thai Consulates going to eVisa online system effective Tuesday Oct 8th

[webfact]

Hurricane Florence lashing Carolinas with heavy rain, flooding

By Ernest Scheyder

 

People are seen inside a shelter run by Red Cross before Hurricane Florence comes ashore in Grantsboro, North Carolina, U.S., September 13, 2018. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

 

WILMINGTON, N.C. (Reuters) - The outer bands of Hurricane Florence lashed the Carolinas with wind and rain on Thursday, flooding roads and overflowing rivers in an ominous prelude of the damage the huge storm could inflict when it makes landfall on Friday with millions of people in its path.

 

Florence, downgraded to a Category 2 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, remained dangerous and unpredictable, the National Hurricane Center said. It was forecast to make landfall Friday morning or afternoon near Cape Fear, North Carolina, bringing up to 40 inches (1 metre) of rain in places.

 

"Hurricane Florence was uninvited but she's just about here anyway," North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told a news conference, warning residents to stay vigilant despite the downgrade. "Stay on guard. This is a powerful storm that can kill."

 

Florence's maximum sustained winds were clocked on Thursday at 100 miles per hour (170 km per hour) as it spun in the Atlantic Ocean, down from a peak of 140 mph (224 kph) earlier this week when it was classified as a Category 4.

 

The community of Avon on North Carolina's Outer Banks barrier islands reported wind gusts of 74 miles per hour (119 km per hour), while Morehead City on the mainland coast had received 3.6 inches (9.1 cm) of rain in the past 13 hours, according to the National Weather Service.

 

Already some roads and intersections were inundated with water, making them impassable.

 

About 10 million people live in the storm's path and more than 1 million had been ordered to evacuate the coasts of the Carolinas and Virginia. Thousands have taken refuge in emergency shelters, officials said.

 

The storm's centre was about 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina, at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) but already some 19,000 homes and businesses in the Carolinas and Virginia were without power by mid-afternoon. Millions of people were expected to lose power from the storm and restoration could take weeks.

 

TORNADOES, STORM SURGES PREDICTED

The National Hurricane Center warned the threat of tornadoes was increasing as Florence neared shore and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said the heavy rains could trigger landslides in the western part of his state.

 

Florence could bring wind-driven storm surges of seawater as high as 13 feet (4 meters) and NHC Director Ken Graham said on Facebook they could push in as far as 2 miles (3 km). Heavy rains were forecast to extend into the Appalachian Mountains, affecting parts of Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia.

 

Emergency declarations were in force in Georgia, South and North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

 

Despite pleas from state and local officials, some residents rejected calls to evacuate.

 

Near the beach in Wilmington, a Waffle House restaurant, part of a chain with a reputation for staying open during disasters, had no plans to close, even if power is lost. It had long lines on Thursday.

 

In the tiny community of Sea Breeze near Wilmington, Roslyn Fleming, 56, made a video of the inlet where her granddaughter was baptized because "I just don't think a lot of this is going to be here" later.

 

In Wilmington, wind gusts were stirring up frothy white caps into the Cape Fear River.

 

"We're a little worried about the storm surge so we came down to see what the river is doing now," said Linda Smith, 67, a retired nonprofit director. "I am frightened about what's coming. We just want prayers from everyone."

 

Will Epperson, a 36-year-old golf course assistant superintendent, said he and his wife had planned to ride out the storm at their home in Hampstead, North Carolina, but reconsidered due to its ferocity. Instead, they drove 150 miles (240 km) inland to his mother's house in Durham.

 

"The anxiety level has dropped substantially," Epperson said. "I've never been one to leave for a storm but this one kind of had me spooked."

 

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Additional reporting by Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Carlo Allegri in Wilmington, North Carolina; Mana Raibee in Sea Breeze, North Carolina; Anna Mehler Paperny in Washington, North Carolina; Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee, Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Steve Gorman and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Writing by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Bill Tarrant and Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-09-14

[bristolboy]

A huge part of the problem is that people are building homes where they shouldn't be built. And the situation is getting worse as sea levels rise. However, I do want to commend the North Carolina legislature for dealing forthrightly with the problem:

North Carolina didn't like science on sea levels … so passed a law against it

In 2012, the state whose low-lying coast lies in the path of Hurricane Florence reacted to a prediction of catastrophically rising seas by banning policies based on such forecasts

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/12/north-carolina-didnt-like-science-on-sea-levels-so-passed-a-law-against-it

[Becker]

3 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

A huge part of the problem is that people are building homes where they shouldn't be built. And the situation is getting worse as sea levels rise. However, I do want to commend the North Carolina legislature for dealing forthrightly with the problem:

North Carolina didn't like science on sea levels … so passed a law against it

In 2012, the state whose low-lying coast lies in the path of Hurricane Florence reacted to a prediction of catastrophically rising seas by banning policies based on such forecasts

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/sep/12/north-carolina-didnt-like-science-on-sea-levels-so-passed-a-law-against-it

Yes, stupid wasn't invented the day the man-child was elected.

[pegman]

Prayers, lots and lots of prayers. That should keep these morons afloat when their houses on barrier islands gets demolished by the 12' storm surge. It's Trump Country alright!

[Thailand]

Good luck. Take care.

[Tug]

It’s been downgraded to a cat 1 still dangerous but hopefully not as bad as expected it’s true we do build in places we shouldn’t keeping my fingers crossed 

[Stargeezr]

Hurricane hitting NC now, wonder how the news will be in the next few days.  Pres Trump had better get ready with more paper towels to toss to the survivors, so much compassion in this man, Hah!

Geezer

[pegman]

1 minute ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Hurricane hitting NC now, wonder how the news will be in the next few days.

Pres Trump had better get ready with more paper towels to toss to the survivors,

so much compassion in this man, Hah!

Geezer

Apparently the paper towel tossing goes over well with his base.

[Stargeezr]

Maybe Trump is the Real Homer Simpson, why did I not see this earlier?

[connda]

I've lived in that area and hurricanes are just a fact of life.  But for some reason, this hurricane was hyped by the media.  "Fear, fear, fear, fear fear!!!"  Why?  The locals will go though the same motions as always, but the message was that 'This Hurricane Is Special.'  "Fear, fear, fear, fear fear!!!"  No.  It wasn't before it hit, and it's not now. 

 

Just gotta say it.  This type of fear-mongering and hyperbole is simply disgusting, and it's even worse when an ignorant and docile public buys into it. 

[hotchilli]

Hurricane Florence which is currently lashing the US East Coast with sustained winds at up to 90 mpg is causing flooding.

Mangkut however is much more powerful and  is expected to make landfall on the Philippines island of Luzon island early on Saturday. Current wind speeds are up to 285 kilometers per hour (180 mph).

Feel sorry for the States but Philippines are in for a real pasting !!

[bristolboy]

3 hours ago, connda said:

I've lived in that area and hurricanes are just a fact of life.  But for some reason, this hurricane was hyped by the media.  "Fear, fear, fear, fear fear!!!"  Why?  The locals will go though the same motions as always, but the message was that 'This Hurricane Is Special.'  "Fear, fear, fear, fear fear!!!"  No.  It wasn't before it hit, and it's not now. 

 

Just gotta say it.  This type of fear-mongering and hyperbole is simply disgusting, and it's even worse when an ignorant and docile public buys into it. 

Because they were basically repeating warnings from the National Weather Service? I didn't see any other weather services predicting this decline in Florence's power. Perhaps they should have asked for your opinion?

[Credo]

8 hours ago, connda said:

I've lived in that area and hurricanes are just a fact of life.  But for some reason, this hurricane was hyped by the media.  "Fear, fear, fear, fear fear!!!"  Why?  The locals will go though the same motions as always, but the message was that 'This Hurricane Is Special.'  "Fear, fear, fear, fear fear!!!"  No.  It wasn't before it hit, and it's not now. 

 

Just gotta say it.  This type of fear-mongering and hyperbole is simply disgusting, and it's even worse when an ignorant and docile public buys into it. 

Hurricanes are unpredictable and meteorologists use existing models to try and make predictions.   There is no doubt it is one strong storm and is dropping a heck of a lot of rain.   

 

As we saw with Katrina and Harvey (as well as Maria), the problem was compounded by the thousands of people who didn't evacuate.   This adds a great deal of complexity to the situation and increases the death toll.

 

In the aftermath, medical services are limited or not available, food and water are in short supply, electrical supply is down, roads may be blocked.   All this makes for the need of massive and expensive rescue operations.