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WMO: Laura by Far the Strongest Hurricane of 2020 Atlantic Season

VOA News

   The former hurricane known as Laura has so far been the most intense
   and dangerous storm of this year's Atlantic hurricane season, according
   to the U.N.'s weather agency, the World Meteorological Organization.

   Laura is now just a tropical depression, spreading heavy rain and
   thunderstorms across the east-central United States, forecasters said.
   But as the storm crossed the Gulf of Mexico earlier this week, it
   strengthened from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 4 in less than
   24 hours. Forecasters recorded wind speeds as high as 240 kph.

   As Laura came ashore early Thursday in southern Louisiana, the National
   Hurricane Service was predicting an "unsurvivable storm surge." That
   didn't materialize, but damaging winds and heavy rains did. The system
   destroyed property, downed trees and led to power outages throughout
   the state. The WMO said that since Laura began moving through the
   Caribbean last week, it had caused more than 20 deaths, most in Haiti.

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