US, naghahanda sa pagdating ng Hurricane Hilary na inaasahang magdadala ng matinding pagbaha
A man walks past sand bags placed to protect beach front homes in Seal Beach, California on August 18, 2023, as they prepare for hurricane Hilary. Hilary strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on August 18, 2023 and was expected to further intensify before approaching Mexico’s Baja California peninsula over the weekend, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. In the US, parts of southern California and southern Nevada could see heavy rain through early next week, the NHC said. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)
Biyernes pa lamang ay naghahanda na ang Mexico para sa isang malakas na bagyo sa Pasipiko, na may babala ng “potensiyal na mapaminsalang” pagbaha sa hilagang-kanlurang rehiyon at sa katabing estado ng California sa Estados Unidos.
Ayon sa US National Hurricane Center (NHC), ang Hurricane Hilary ay nagbabantang magdala ng malalakas na hangin, flash floods at anila’y “life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”
Sinabi ng NHC, na si Hilary ay maaaring magtaglay ng lakas ng hanging aabot sa 145 milya (230 kilometro) bawat oras bago bahagyang humina.
Isa itong Category Four hurricane — ang ikalawang pinakamalakas sa Saffir-Simpson scale ng one to five.
Babala ng NHC, “Life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flooding was likely over much of Baja California and southern California this weekend and early next week.”
Ang mga residente at mga trabahador sa Cabo San Lucas ay naglagay na ng protective boarding, naglatag ng mga sandbag at nag-imbak ng mga kasangkapan bilang paghahanda, habang humahampas ang malalaking alon sa dalampasigan.
Sinabi ni 30-anyos na si Marlen Hernandez, “We’ve already had to live through similar experiences. We know what can happen to us. We must be prepared with food, canned goods and candles.’
Makikita rin ang mga tauhan ng Navy na nagpapatrulya sa beach ng Cabo San Lucas — isang popular na destinasyon kapwa para sa Mexican at foreign tourists.
Sinabi ng NHC, “Hilary was located about 325 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas on the southern tip of Baja California. On the forecast track, the center of Hilary will move close to the west coast of the Baja California peninsula over the weekend and reach southern California by Sunday night.”
Isang hurricane warning na rin ang inilabas para sa kahabaan ng baybayin sa Baja California mula Punta Abreojos hanggang Cabo San Quintin, at isang hurricane watch sa hilaga mula doon hanggang Ensenada.
Ayon pa sa NHC, “Across the border, an unusual tropical storm watch was in effect from the California/Mexico border to Point Mugu in Ventura County, as well as for Catalina Island. Fluctuations in intensity are likely through tonight.”
Dagdag pa ng ahensiya, “Weakening is expected to begin by Saturday, but Hilary will still be a hurricane when it approaches the west coast of the Baja California peninsula Saturday night and Sunday. Hilary is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by late Sunday before it reaches southern California.”
Ang bagyo ay nagdala ng ulan at maalong dagat sa mga lugar sa kahabaan ng timog-kanlurang baybayin ng Pasipiko ng Mexico, kabilang ang tourist resort ng Acapulco.
Sabi pa ng NHC, “In the United States, ‘rainfall amounts of three to six inches, with isolated amounts of 10 inches,’ are expected across portions of southern California and southern Nevada. Dangerous to locally catastrophic flooding will be possible.”
Ang mga bagyo ay tumatama sa Mexico bawat taon sa parehong mga baybayin ng Pasipiko at Atlantiko, kadalasan sa pagitan ng Mayo at Nobyembre.
Bagama’t kung minsan ay naka-aapekto ang bakas ng bagyo sa California, bihira para sa mga bagyo na tumama sa estado ng US na may tropical storm intensity.
