Deadly Tropical Storm Nate Gathers Strength on Path to U.S. Gulf

Tropical Storm Nate is seen over Central America. (Photo courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

The relentless hurricane season shows no sign of letting up, with meteorologists tracking a new storm expected to make landfall on the Gulf Coast on Sunday.

Tropical Storm Nate is on a deadly trajectory through the Gulf of Mexico, with fatalities already recorded in Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica. Significant flooding has also forced thousands in Nicaragua to evacuate their homes.

The storm is predicted to make landfall on the Gulf Coast on Sunday, when it is expected to have strengthened to a Category 1 Hurricane, meaning winds over 75 miles per hour could result.

Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches is expected, with 12 inches in some locations, across the U.S. Gulf Coast states, eastern Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Louisiana’s Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency on Thursday, and the City of New Orleans will enforce a curfew Saturday evening as the city braces for the storm.

Direct Relief has been in contact with the Pan American Health Organization, as well as healthcare partners in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras to offer assistance.

Direct Relief also offered assistance to 161 partners in Nate’s projected path in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Direct Relief has an extensive Hurricane Preparedness Program, which prepositions medical supplies in areas prone to seasonal Atlantic and Pacific hurricanes. These packs are available for healthcare providers to use when a hurricane strikes, and there are several prepositioned in Nicaragua and Honduras, as well as 11 in storm’s U.S. path.

Direct Relief will continue monitoring the storm and stands ready to respond as needed.

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