User:PurpleLights/Drafts/Hurricane Iota
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Hurricane Iota was the latest known Atlantic hurricane ever to attain Category 5 intensity, and only the second Category 5 Atlantic hurricane to exist within the month of November on record—the other being the 1932 Cuba hurricane. Iota caused severe damage to areas of Central America already devastated by Hurricane Eta just less than two weeks prior. The thirty-first tropical cyclone, thirtieth named storm, thirteenth hurricane, and sixth major hurricane of the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Iota originated as a tropical wave that moved into the Eastern Caribbean on November 10. Over the next few days, the wave began to become better organized and by November 13, it developed into a tropical depression north of Colombia. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Iota six hours later. The storm was initially impacted by some wind shear, but a center relocation and relaxed shear allowed Iota to quickly strengthen into a hurricane on November 15, after which it underwent explosive intensification, becoming a Category 5 hurricane the following day. This made 2020 the fifth consecutive Atlantic hurricane season since 2016 to feature at least one Category 5 hurricane. After weakening slightly, Iota made landfall in northeastern Nicaragua as a high-end Category 4 hurricane, becoming the strongest recorded hurricane to make landfall in Nicaragua in November. Iota then rapidly weakened as it moved inland, before dissipating on November 18.
This page contains a translation of Hurricane Iota from en.wikipedia. |
Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Formed | November 13, 2020 |
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Dissipated | November 18, 2020 |
Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 160 mph (260 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 917 mbar (hPa); 27.08 inHg |
Fatalities | 61 total; 41 missing |
Damage | ≥ $564 million (2020 USD) |
Areas affected |
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Part of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season | |
The precursor wave to Iota generated flash flooding in most of the Caribbean islands. Tropical cyclone watches and warnings were first issued on November 14 in parts of Colombia, Nicaragua, and Honduras, with the latter two countries still recovering from Eta just two weeks prior. Heavy rains associated with a tropical wave and Iota brought heavy rainfall to parts of Colombia, leading to flash flooding and mudslides. Extremely heavy rain fell on much of Nicaragua widening flash flooding caused by the hurricane's high storm surge. Mudslides caused extensive damage and multiple deaths. At least 61 people were killed due to Iota including at least 28 in Nicaragua and 16 in Honduras, among other countries.[1][2][3][4] As many as 41 people are currently missing. Damage totals for the storm are still being calculated, but a preliminary estimate in Nicaragua places the damage totals at $564 million (2020 USD) in that country.[5]
Planning for relief efforts soon followed, which include placing tents, opening temporary hospitals, and delivering food and water to those in need. Numerous power outages were restored in the days following Iota's destruction. Downed trees and blocked paths have slowed down some rescue teams. Donations worth hundreds of millions of USD have been given to affected countries. An estimated total of 5.2 million people were affected by the storm,[6] while hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.