Hawaii readies for arrival of Hurricane Nolo amid risks of catastrophic flooding
Mexico remains under threat from Hurricane Polo as it heads toward Baja Peninsula
Residents on Hawaii's Big Island were bracing Friday for potentially life-threatening and catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Nolo, while Mexico was still under the threat of Hurricane Polo as it headed toward the Baja Peninsula after bringing storm conditions to the southwestern coast.
asserted
it → ready → coast
Nolo's maximum sustained winds have increased to 165 kilometres an hour, making it a Category 2 hurricane.
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it → increase → kilometres
The storm's centre was located about 300 kilometres south of South Point, Hawaii and about 610 kilometres south-southeast of Honolulu.
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centre → locate → Honolulu
It was moving north-northeast at about eight kilometres an hour.
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It → move → kilometres
Tropical storm conditions expected to begin on land in the evening, with hurricane conditions possible by early Saturday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
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Center → expect → Saturday
It was expected to take a turn west Saturday and avoid directly hitting the islands.
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It → expect → islands
Forecasters warned eastern and southern areas of the island could see rainfall totals of 25 to 38 centimetres, with a maximum of 64 centimetres.
uncertain
areas → warn → centimetres
Wind gusts on land could hit 80 kilometres an hour.
uncertain
gusts → hit → kilometres
Nolo was expected to strengthen to a major hurricane on Saturday.
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Nolo → expect → Saturday
"People are going to want to kind of shelter in place on the Big Island, be in their safe place, certainly by later today, tonight, well into Saturday," Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center, said Friday.
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Brennan → go → Center
"Don't venture out if you don't have to into the dangerous flooding environment, but also high winds.
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you → venture → environment
We can have trees and power lines down.
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trees → have → ?
Heavy rainfall also was possible on Hawaii's other islands, the hurricane centre said.
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centre → say → islands
Maui also could see heavy rainfall and potential life-threatening flooding and mudslides, forecasters said.
uncertain
forecasters → see → rainfall
Crews on the Big Island spent hours Friday trying to build berms to guide water and move large debris ahead of the worst of the rain, said Erika Kapu, Hawaii program manager for the humanitarian non-profit CORE.
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Kapu → spend → profit
Hawaii officials told residents to put together emergency kits and the governor issued an emergency proclamation, activating more than 230 Hawaii National Guard members.
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governor → tell → members
Schools were closed in some areas.
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Schools → close → areas
Hawaii County officials on the Big Island were urging residents in flood-prone areas to consider taking refuge at shelters being set up or other locations.
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officials → urge → shelters
Authorities said sand for sandbags was publicly available at several locations.
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sand → say → locations
The heaviest rain from Nolo is likely to fall over the same southeastern region of the Big Island that was hit in August by Hurricane Lala and where grounds are still wet from additional precipitation.
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grounds → fall → precipitation
The storm surge could hit 30 to 91 centimetres, creating large and dangerous waves and coastal flooding, the hurricane centre said.
uncertain
centre → hit → waves
Residents and tourists on the Big Island were busy preparing.
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Residents → prepare → Island
"I guess that'd be my concern — whether we're getting out of here or not, but, you know, as far as the weather goes, it is what it is," said Daniel Compton, who was visiting from Seattle.
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who → guess → Seattle
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green has requested an emergency disaster declaration for four Hawaii counties.
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Green → request → counties
Polo gaining strength
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Polo → gain → strength
The hurricane centre said Polo gained significant force overnight into Friday morning and doused parts of Mexico's Pacific coast.
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Polo → say → coast
No major damage or flooding was reported along the coast overnight into Friday.
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damage → report → Friday
By midday Friday, attention turned to the Baja California Peninsula, where the hurricane was slated to arch back and hit between Monday and Tuesday.
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hurricane → turn → Monday
Local authorities were preparing shelters.
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authorities → prepare → shelters
Mexico's government announced Friday afternoon that they were closing ports in the region as dark clouds swirled overhead.
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clouds → announce → region
The latest estimated sustained winds were 290 kilometres an hour.
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winds → estimate → ?
Residents stacked sandbags to fortify beachfront shops and evacuated their homes in some coastal areas on Thursday.
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Residents → stack → Thursday
Mexican authorities opened shelters and cleared people from beaches, and 15,000 security personnel were deployed across the coast.
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personnel → open → coast
Schools were closed.
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Schools → close → ?
In the port city of Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán, seawater swept through homes and left wooden planks and furniture strewn on the streets.
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seawater → sweep → streets
Locals and government officials were clearing debris and shoveling thick mud coating much of the town.
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Locals → clear → town
Alicia Contreras said the walls and roof of her restaurant had been severely damaged by 4.5-metre waves.
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walls → say → waves
As officers and family helped pick through the damage, Contreras worried about how she would recover economically.
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she → help → damage
"This is huge because we have no other source of income.
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we → have → income
Now we're just surviving," Contreras said.
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Contreras → survive → ?
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
