First hurricane of the year on the Atlantic coast, Hanna reached the state of Texas, in the United States, on Saturday July 25. It reached Padre Island at 5 p.m. local time (midnight in Paris) and was sweeping the coast as a Category 1 storm with winds of up to 145 kilometers per hour, the National Hurricane Center said. It is expected to head to northeastern Mexico on Sunday.

"Hanna is expected to produce heavy rains in parts of southern Texas and northeastern Mexico. These rains will cause flash floods which are life-threatening," and could cause streams to rise from their beds, warned meteorologists.

No casualties or major damage were reported immediately, the winds having eased to some 130 km / h and expected to weaken further overnight. But Hanna could pour 45 centimeters of rain by Monday over southern Texas and the Mexican states of Coahuila and Nuevo Leon, as well as northern Tamaulipas. 

The coasts will continue to be battered by the storm, with waves of up to 1.8 meters, meteorologists added.

Fear of tornadoes occurring overnight

Hanna was about a hundred miles from Corpus Christi, Texas, when he reached the land. The city of 325,000, which is one of the main sources of infection in the coronavirus outbreak in Texas, had closed libraries and museums as residents braced for the storm, local media reported .

The damage appeared to be limited at first, with only a few floods and localized power cuts. According to footage from Corpus Christi Weather Services, the water reached the city's waterfront art museum.

Local authorities were also preparing for the possible appearance of tornadoes overnight in some coastal areas, according to local media.

Two other low pressure systems were active on Saturday, Hurricane Douglas, heading towards the Hawaiian Archipelago in the Pacific, and Tropical Storm Gonzalo near the Windward Islands in the Atlantic. "My administration is closely monitoring Hurricanes Douglas near Hawaii and Hanna, which has reached Texas," President Donald Trump tweeted. "We continue to coordinate well with these two states. Listen to the emergency services (...) to protect your families and your property!"

With AFP

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