Mon, Sep 15, 2003
Cat 4-5 Storm Poses Major Threat To Aviation
Like an ex-wife with a writ, Isabel is bearing down mercilessly
on the Eastern Seaboard, expected to wallop the coast as early as
Thursday. The hurricane is a Category Four storm, with winds over
155 miles an hour. Twice, its ferocity has been gauged at Category
Five and forecasters warn it could happen again as Isabel
approaches land.
"We feel pretty confident that someone will (get hit)," said
Eric Blake, a specialist at the National Hurricane Center told
Reuters. "We're forecasting a major hurricane for the United States
East Coast."
It's not looking good for residents and pilots from New York
City to the Outer Banks. "Landfall along the US Mid-Atlantic coast
somewhere between North Carolina and New Jersey between four or
five days is appearing more and more likely," the hurricane center
said.
With a penchant for understatement, Blake said, "If you've been
lax with your hurricane preparations, now's a really good time to
catch up."
Already some residents of the Southeast are stockpiling water,
food and supplies. "They don't want to get caught with their pants
down," said Steve Myers, co-manager of an 84 Lumber store in
Georgetown, South Carolina. Despite higher plywood prices, Myers
told the AP that prices are still "cheaper than a $300 window."
The last Category 5 hurricane to strike the United States was
Andrew in 1992 and Camille -- which hit the Gulf Coast in 1969.
Andrew -- which stands as the most expensive natural disaster in US
history -- killed 43 people in Florida and Louisiana and caused $30
million in damage, according to the AP.
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