Hurricane Hanna batters southern Texas

Addis Ababa, July 26, 2020 (FBC) -Hurricane Hanna has made landfall in southern Texas, with US officials warning of life-threatening storm surge, strong winds and heavy rains.

Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 32 counties, saying the coronavirus outbreak would complicate the work of the emergencies services.

Hanna made landfall on Padre Island on Saturday, and is now battering the area between Corpus Christi and Brownsville.

With winds up to 90mph (145km/h), the storm was tearing roofs off homes.

Hanna was a Category One hurricane, the lowest level on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale.

The storm is expected to mostly skirt the Houston region, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Hanna hits Texas as the southern state is struggling to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

More than 380,000 infection cases have so far been confirmed, with nearly 5,000 deaths.

Source: BBC