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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 10 November 2022
Tropical Storm Nicole forces evacuations in Bahamas, Florida

By FREIDA FRISARO cy Management director
and DANICA COTO Kevin Guthrie said Florid-
Associated Press ians should expect possible
MIAMI (AP) — Tropical tornadoes, rip currents and
Storm Nicole forced peo- flash flooding.
ple from their homes in the Bahamas Prime Minister
Bahamas and threatened Philip Brave Davis, who is
to grow into a rare Novem- at the COP27 U.N. Climate
ber hurricane in Florida on Summit, drew attention to
Wednesday, shutting down the link between storms
airports and Disney World and climate change.
while prompting evacua- Tropical storm force winds
tion orders that included extended as far as 460
former President Donald miles (740 kilometers) from
Trump's Mar-a-Lago club. the center in some direc-
Hundreds of people sought tions.
shelter in the northwestern It could intensify into a rare
Bahamas before the ap- November hurricane be-
proaching storm, which fore hitting Florida, where
had already sent seawater only two have made land-
washing across roads on fall since recordkeeping
barrier islands in Florida. began in 1853 the 1935
The U.S. National Hurricane Yankee Hurricane and Hur-
Center said the center of ricane Kate in 1985.
the sprawling storm make This GOES-East GoeColor satellite image taken at 2:36 p.m. EST and provided by NOAA shows New warnings and watch-
landfall on Great Abaco Tropical Storm Nicole approaching toward the northwestern Bahamas and Florida’s Atlantic es were issued for many
island around midday with coastline on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022. parts of Florida, includ-
estimated maximum sus- Associated Press ing the southwestern Gulf
tained winds of 70 mph. in a tweet that storm surge At a news conference in Almost two dozen school coastline which was dev-
"We are forecasting it to from Tropical Storm Nicole Tallahassee, Gov. Ron De- districts were closing astated by Hurricane Ian,
become a hurricane as it had already breached the Santis said winds were the schools for the storm and which struck as a Category
nears the northwestern Ba- sea wall along Indian River biggest concern and and 15 shelters had opened 4 storm on Sept. 28.
hamas, and remain a hur- Drive, which runs parallel to significant power outag- along Florida's east coast, The storm destroyed homes
ricane as it approaches the Atlantic Ocean. es could occur, but that the governor said. and damaged crops, in-
the east coast of Florida," The Martin County Sheriff's 16,000 linemen were on Forty-five of Florida's 67 cluding orange groves,
Daniel Brown, a senior hur- office also said seawater standby to restore power, counties were under a across the state. damage
ricane specialist at the had breached part of a as well as 600 guardsmen state of emergency decla- that many are still dealing
Miami-based National Hur- road on Hutchinson Island. and seven search and res- ration. with.q
ricane Center, said earllier Residents in several Flori- cue teams. Florida Division of Emergen-
Wednesday. da counties Flagler, Palm
Nicole is the first storm to hit Beach, Martin and Volusia
the Bahamas since Hurri- were ordered to evacu-
cane Dorian, a Category 5 ate such barrier islands,
storm that devastated the low-lying areas and mobile
archipelago in 2019, before homes.
hitting Florida. There is no penalty for ig-
In the Bahamas, officials noring an evacuation or-
said that more than 520 der, but rescue crews will
people were in more than not respond if it puts their
two dozen shelters. Flood- members at risk.
ing and power outages Disney World and related
were reported in Grand theme parks announced
Abaco. they were closing early on
Authorities were especially Wednesday evening and
concerned about a large likely would not reopen as
Haitian community in Great scheduled on Thursday.
Abaco that was destroyed Palm Beach International
by Dorian and has since Airport closed Wednesday
grown from 50 acres (20 morning, and Daytona
hectares) to 200 acres (80 Beach International Airport
hectares). said it would cease opera-
"Do not put yourselves in tions. Orlando International
harm's way," said Zhivago Airport, the seventh busiest
Dames, assistant commis- in the U.S., was set to close
sioner of police informa- at 4 p.m.. Further south, of-
tion as he urged everyone ficials said Fort Lauderdale-
to stay indoors. "Our first Hollywood International
responders are out there. Airport and Miami Interna-
However, they will not put tional Airport were experi- Sandbags are distributed at Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 ahead of
their lives in danger." encing some flight delays subtropical storm Nicole. Bags will be limited to six per car, proof of residency is required, bring
In Florida, the St. Lucie and cancellations but both your own shovel, while supplies last from 7am to 7pm.
County Sheriff's Office said planned to remain open. Associated Press