Destructive flash flooding hits Venezuela’s La Guaira
Very heavy rains caused by a low pressure area over the Caribbean Sea hit the mountainous coastal region of the state of La Guaira, Venezuela on October 28, 2022, causing destructive flash flooding.
- This system is expected to intensify into a tropical storm later today
- The official NHC forecast calls for hurricane status before landfall in Belize or the eastern Yucatan Peninsula on November 2
The rains caused the El Cojo river to burst its banks in the town of Macuto, causing devastating damage and leaving a huge clean-up operation.1
The event brought back memories of a disaster in 1999 when a large part of the city was buried under a landslide, killing thousands.
The rain was caused by developing Potential Tropical Cyclone 15 as it moved near the coast of Venezuela, bringing rains to much of the country.
This disturbance is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm as it moves south of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands on October 31 and November 1.
At 09:00 UTC on October 31, its center was located about 255 km (160 miles) SSE of Kingston, Jamaica and 665 km (415 miles) SE of Grand Cayman.2
It had maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h (40 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 1 006 hPa.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Jamaica and Grand Cayman Island.
Interests elsewhere along the coast of Central America, especially Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, should monitor the progress of this system, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
The current forecast track takes this system further West and into Belize as a hurricane on November 2.
References:
1 Heavy Rains Cause Devastating Floods In Venezuela – Republic World – October 29, 2022
2 Potential Tropical Cyclone Fifteen Advisory Number 3 – NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL – 500 AM EDT Mon Oct 31 2022
Featured image credit: World Is Dangerous (stillshot)
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