As Norma nears Mexico, Maria becomes new threat

MEXICO CITY/HAVANA — Hurricane season roared on as Jose threatened heavy surf along the US East Coast, Tropical Storm Norma was set to brush Mexico’s resort-studded Baja California Peninsula, and Tropical Storm Maria formed in the Atlantic and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane before slamming some already-battered Caribbean islands.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for the southern Baja California Peninsula in Mexico due to Norma, which weakened into a tropical storm on Saturday, with maximum sustained winds of 100 kph, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

Norma was 300 kilometers south of Cabo San Lucas and moving north at 7 kph late on Saturday night, with forecasters saying it could approach waters southwest of the peninsula late on Sunday or early on Monday.

The peninsular region that’s home to the twin resort cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo was hit about two weeks ago by Tropical Storm Lidia, which flooded streets and homes and killed at least four people.

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The Baja California Sur government readied storm shelters and canceled classes for Monday as well as a planned military parade in the state capital, La Paz, amid Mexican Independence Day celebrations.

In the Atlantic, Hurricane Jose was moving slowly and far from land but generating powerful swells that were affecting coastal areas in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and the US southeast.

Meanwhile, the executive director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, said on Saturday that the organization will begin a $5.7 million operation to provide food assistance to some 664,000 people in Cuba.

After visiting the coastal community of Jaimanitas, west of Havana, Beasley said that the WFP already has 1.6 metric tons of food in Cuba and has provided $1.5 million of its emergency funds to buy additional goods.

“The magnitude of the devastation caused by Irma requires that we work together to ensure an immediate recovery and that people have water, food, housing and the economy can re-establish itself,” he said.

The distribution of food will focus on boys and girls in boarding primary schools, adults over 65, pregnant women and nursing mothers.