Page 27 - bon-dia-aruba-20201109

A27
U.S. NEWS Dialuna 9 november 2020

Eta expected to be hurricane and strike Florida Keys

(AP) — A strengthening
Tropical Storm Eta sliced
across Cuba on Sunday
and was aimed at the
southern tip of Florida,
where officials braced for
a storm that could to hit
at hurricane force after
leaving scores of dead and
over 100 missing in Mexi-
co and Central America.

The U.S. National Hurri-
cane Center in Miami said
declared hurricane and storm
surge warnings for the Keys
from Ocean Reef to the Dry
Tortugas, including Florida
Bay, with the storm expected
to reach that area by Sunday
night or early Monday.

Florida officials closed beach-
es, ports and COVID testing
sites, shut down public trans-
portation and urged residents more than 100 were missing the state as Eta approached, In the worst-hit village, Que- day.
to stay off the street. Several in Guatemala, many of them urging residents to stock up já, at least five bodies have
shelters also opened in Mi- in the landslide in San Cris- on supplies. South Florida been pulled from the mud. In southern Mexico, across
ami and the Florida Keys for tobal Verapaz. started emptying ports and The Indigenous commu- the border from Guatemala,
residents in mobile homes a small number of shelters nity of about 1,200 residents 20 people died as heavy rains
and low lying areas. Broward Some 60,000 people had been opened in Miami and the consisted of simple homes of attributed to Eta caused mud-
County also shut down in- evacuated in Guatemala. Florida Keys for residents in wood and tin roofs clinging slides and swelled streams
person schooling Monday At least 20 people also were mobile homes and low lying to the mountainside. and rivers, according to Chi-
and Miami seemed poised to reported dead in southern areas. Miami-Dade County apas state civil defense official
do the same. Mexico and local officials declared a state of emergency Rescue workers used a heli- Elías Morales Rodríguez.
in Honduras reported 21, Friday night and also warned copter to evacuate survivor
Eta had maximum sustained though the nmational disas- a flood watch would be in ef- Emilio Caal, who said he lost The worst incident in Mex-
winds of 65 mph (100 kph) ter agency had confirmed fect through Tuesday night. as many as 40 family mem- ico occurred in the moun-
at midday Sunday and it only eight. Further south in the Keys, bers and relatives. Caal, 65, tain township of Chenalho,
was centered north of Cuba, officials were monitoring suffered a dislocated shoul- where 10 people were swept
about 145 miles (235 kilo- Pope Francis on Sunday the storm closely, but had no der when the landslide sent away by a rain-swollen
meters) southeast of Mara- spoke about the population plans yet to evacuate tour- rocks, trees and earth hur- stream; their bodies were lat-
thon, Florida, and about of Central America, hit “by ists or residents. They urged tling onto the home where er found downstream.
170 miles (275 kilometers) a violent hurricane, which residents to secure their boats he was about to sit down
south-southeast of Miami. has caused many victims and and encouraged visitors to to lunch with his wife and Flooding in the neighboring
It was moving toward the huge damage, worsened as consider altering plans until grandchildren. Caal said he state of Tabasco was so bad
north-northwest at 17 mph well by the already difficult Eta had passed. was blown several yards (me- that President Andrés Man-
(28 kph). situation due to the pandem- Eta initially hit Nicaragua as ters) by the force of the slide, uel López Obrador cut short
ic.” Speaking to faithful gath- a Category 4 hurricane, and and that none of the others a trip to western Mexico and
The storm swelled rivers ered in St. Peter’s Square, authorities from Panama to were able to get out. was flying to Tabasco, his
and flooded coastal zones Francis prayed that “the Lord Mexico were still surveying home state, to oversee relief
in Cuba, where 25,000 had welcome the deceased, com- the damages following days “My wife is dead, my grand- efforts.
been evacuated. But there fort their families and sustain of torrential rains during the children are dead,” said Caal
were no reports of deaths. Eta all those so tried, as well as week. from a nearby hospital. Hurricane Eta’s arrival in
hit Cuba even as searchers in all those who are doing their In Guatemala, search teams In neighboring Honduras, northeast Nicaragua Tues-
Guatemala were still digging best to help them.” first had to overcome multi- 68-year-old María Elena Me- day followed days of drench-
for people believed buried by ple landslides and deep mud jía Guadron died when the ing rain as it crawled toward
a massive, rain-fueled land- In Florida, Gov. Ron De- just to reach the site where brown waters of the Cham- shore. Its slow, meandering
slide. Authorities on Sunday Santis declared a state of officials have estimated some elecon river poured into San path north through Hondu-
raised the known death toll emergency Saturday for 150 homes were devastated. Pedro Sula’s Planeta neigh- ras pushed rivers over their
there to 27 from 15 and said eight counties at the end of borhood before dawn Thurs- banks.

Kamala Harris books surge in popularity after election

(AP) - Books by and about An American Journey,” a descent elected to the vice
Kamala Harris proved to children’s book by her niece presidency, will become the
be a popular purchase fol- Meena Harris called “Ka- highest-ranking woman ever
lowing the election. The mala and Maya’s Big Idea” to serve in government.
vice president-elect was and Nikki Grimes’ illustrated
the subject or author of “Kamala Harris: Rooted in President-elect Joe Biden
four books on Amazon's Justice.” also got a spot on the charts
top 10 Sunday. just outside of the top 10.
Harris made history as the Dr. Jill Biden’s children’s
They included her own chil- first Black woman to become book “Joey: The Story of Joe
dren’s book “Superheroes vice president. The Califor- Biden” landed in 14th place.
Are Everywhere,” her mem- nia senator, who is also the
oir “The Truths We Hold: first person of South Asian