USA Hurricane "Helene" reaches second-highest level off Florida

Hurricane "Helene" continues to gain strength off the west coast of the US state of Florida. The US National Hurricane Center classified the hurricane as an "extremely dangerous hurricane" of the second-highest category 4 in the evening (local time) - with sustained wind speeds of up to 215 kilometers per hour. Helene is expected to make landfall in the Big Bend region of northern Florida at around 5.00 a.m. (CEST; 11.00 p.m. local time) today.

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) issued an urgent warning about the approaching storm, which is expected to hit several states. The effects are already being felt in Florida, said Fema boss Deanne Criswell - and the forecast indicates that storm surges of up to six meters are to be expected on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

The entire west coast of Florida and the Big Bend region in the north of the state are particularly affected. According to data from the website Poweroutage.us, almost 400,000 households on the west coast were already without power in the evening.

In the past few days, "Helene" had already caused numerous floods and power outages in Cuba. Severe flooding cut off several villages on the Caribbean island from the outside world.

Dark memories of destructive hurricane "Ian"

The arrival of "Helene" is likely to bring back dark memories for many people in Florida. Two years ago, Hurricane Ian caused enormous damage there, killing more than 100 people. At that time, the center of the storm passed over a densely populated area in the southwest of the state. With wind speeds of around 240 kilometers per hour, "Ian" swept over coastal towns.

Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters. According to experts, increasing global warming is increasing the likelihood of strong storms. The hurricane season begins in the Atlantic on June 1 and lasts until November 30.

SDA