Evrim Yazgin
Cosmos science journalist
Record breaking hurricanes have killed at least 16 in Mexico and nearly 100 in the southeastern US in the past week.
Last Tuesday, Category 3 Hurricane John made landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast. The hurricane then moved along the coast before striking land again as a tropical storm.
Most of the deaths have come in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero – home of beachside town Acapulco. The state was also ravaged by Category 5 Hurricane Otis which killed dozens last October.
More than 5,000 people were evacuated from high-risk areas in Guerrero during this week’s storm.
The death toll in the southeastern United States due to Hurricane Helene has risen to at least 93 today. The deaths have occurred across the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Virginia. Another 1,000 people are still missing, and millions are without power.
Georgian state capital Atlanta had more than 280mm of rain in 48 hours – the most the city has ever seen in a 2-day period since records began in 1878. Spruce Pine, North Carolina received more than 600mm over about 5 days.
When it came ashore in Florida on Thursday, Hurricane Helene was a Category 4 hurricane.
Hurricane strength is measured by windspeed. Category 3 hurricanes have winds of about 178–209km/h. Category 5 is greater than 250km/h (155mph).
Climate scientists have warned for years that warming seas are leading to stronger storms. Recent studies have suggested that hurricanes will linger for longer, causing havoc further inland as well as on coastal areas.
In the southern hemisphere, researchers also warn that cyclones are becoming more intense and long-lived.
