Hurricane Rafael has become the 17th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, confirming predictions made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
NOAA had forecasted an above-average season with 17 to 25 named storms, and Rafael marks a significant milestone as it is already the 11th hurricane and 5th major hurricane of the season, surpassing expectations.
Rafael began as a disturbance in the Caribbean Sea, gradually developing into a tropical storm earlier this week.
Even before it fully formed, the storm system caused heavy rainfall across Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, leading to severe flooding and landslides, including a tragic bridge collapse.
As the storm tracked northwest, it gained strength, becoming a category 1 hurricane as it passed the Cayman Islands and intensifying into a category 3 as it neared Cuba.
Super Typhoon Yinxing strikes the Philippines, leaving destruction and prompting mass evacuations.The impact of Rafael was felt across several islands. In Cuba, winds reached 115 mph, knocking out power to much of the island and forcing the evacuation of 70,000 people due to the threat of storm surges.
Torrential rains led to flooding and further landslides, adding to the destruction.
The storm’s rapid intensification and its devastating effects have highlighted the increasing frequency and severity of such weather events during the current hurricane season.
Meanwhile, in the Pacific, Super Typhoon Yinxing (also known as Marce) has been making headlines as it moves across the South China Sea.
This powerful storm, with sustained winds of 110 mph, has already battered the northern Philippines, where it added to the toll of recent storms, claiming the lives of 158 people.
Authorities in the region are bracing for flash floods and storm surges, with over 160,000 people evacuated ahead of the typhoon’s path.