MIAMI: Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to hit the southern Texas coast as a hurricane on Saturday afternoon or early evening, forecasters said, all while another tropical storm approached the Caribbean.
Hanna was centered about 140 miles (225 kilometers) east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, the US National Hurricane Center said early Saturday. The storm had maximum sustained winds around 65 mph (100 kph) and was moving west at 8 mph (13 kph).
A hurricane warning is in effect for Port Mansfield to Mesquite Bay, a span that includes Corpus Christi. A tropical storm warning is in effect from Barra el Mezquital, Mexico, to Port Mansfield, Texas, and from Mesquite Bay to High Island, Texas.
A storm surge warning is in effect for Baffin Bay to Sargent. Storm surge up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) was forecast for that area. People were advised to protect life and property from high water.
Forecasters said Hanna could bring 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain through Sunday night — with isolated totals of 15 inches (38 centimeters) — in addition to coastal swells that could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Hanna broke the record as the earliest eighth Atlantic named storm, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. The previous record was Harvey on Aug. 3, 2005, Klotzbach tweeted.
Tropical Storm Gonzalo was also the earliest Atlantic named storm for its place in the alphabet. The previous record was held by Tropical Storm Gert, which formed on July 24, 2005. So far this year, Cristobal, Danielle, Edouard and Fay also set records for being the earliest named Atlantic storm for their alphabetic order.
Gonzalo was moving west at 17 mph (30 kph) while its maximum sustained winds held at 40 mph (65 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center’s update early Saturday. It was centered about 240 miles (390 kilometers) east of Trinidad.
Officials said that those in the Windward Islands should monitor the storm as it is expected to approach the islands Saturday afternoon or evening. The storm is expected to weaken as it moves into the Caribbean Sea.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tobago and Grenada and its dependencies. Forecasters said Gonzalo could bring 1 to 3 inches (3 to 8 centimeters) of rain, with isolated totals of 5 inches (13 centimeters).
Hanna expected to hit southern Texas coast as a hurricane
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Hanna expected to hit southern Texas coast as a hurricane
- Hanna was centered about 140 miles (225 kilometers) east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas
- Forecasters said Hanna could bring 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain through Sunday night
Russia says two crew members from US-seized tanker released
- “Two Russian sailors have been released and are on their way home to Russia,” Zakharova said
- Russia announced earlier this month that the US had decided to release the Russian duo
MOSCOW: Moscow said Wednesday two Russian crew members of a tanker seized this month by the United States in the Atlantic had been released and were on their way home.
US authorities took over the Russian-flagged vessel earlier this month, alleging it was part of a shadow fleet carrying oil from countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran in violation of US sanctions.
The United States said publicly that the Marinera’s crew could be prosecuted. Russia said that would be “categorically unacceptable” and accused Washington of stoking tensions and threatening international shipping.
“Two Russian sailors have been released and are on their way home to Russia,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency on Wednesday.
Russia announced earlier this month that the United States had decided to release the two Russian crew members, but last week its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the decision had not yet been implemented.
The captain and the first officer of the tanker have left UK waters, Solicitor General for Scotland, Ruth Charteris told a court hearing Tuesday, Press Association news agency reported.
“The captain and the first officer are now aboard the US Coast Guard vessel Munro and have departed the United Kingdom’s territorial sea,” Charteris said.
Twenty-six of the 28 crew have left the ship, officials told AFP. They were processed at a military site in Inverness, Scotland, the court was told, according to Press Association.
Five wanted to travel to the United States and 21 elsewhere. None have claimed asylum, the court heard.
“At the request of the US authorities, crew members have been allowed to disembark for onwards travel,” a UK government spokesperson told AFP Wednesday.
“They will be processed in line with all appropriate immigration and legal requirements.”
Britain was not involved in the movement of the other two crew members, the government said.
The United States seized the tanker, previously known as Bella 1, which was being escorted by the Russian navy, after chasing it from near the Venezuelan coast.
It was re-flagged and re-named to bring it under Russian jurisdiction in a bid to discourage the United States from trying to take it as part of its campaign against Venezuela.
