US residents from New York to the Carolinas are urged to monitor Hurricane Maria which could bring 7ft waves to the East Coast after overpowering dams and devastating homes in Puerto Rico
The National Weather Service urged US residents on the East Coast to monitor the hurricane on Sunday
It is expected to barrel up towards The Bahamas and Bermuda and remain off the southeast coast of America
The proximity could bring life-threatening swells and rip currents to the Mid-Atlantic States, experts warned
On Saturday, a dam in Puerto Rico failed, sending a huge torrent of water down on already vulnerable states
The dam at Lake Guajataca overflowed after 16 inches of rain fell on the region triggering flash floods
At least 10 people have died in Puerto Rico as a result of the storm and the total death toll is feared to be 30
By Jennifer Smith and Mary Kekatos
DailyMail.com
24 September 2017
US East Coast residents have been told to monitor Hurricane Maria as it barrels away from the Caribbean and Puerto Rico.
The National Weather Service warned on Saturday that the storm, which has already killed at least 10 people in Puerto Rico and 30 in total, now threatens to bring life-threatening swells and rip currents to part of the southeast coast.
All of the Mid-Atlantic states – New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia and West Virginia – and both the Carolinas were warned to look out for developments on Sunday and Monday.
Maria is still a Category 3 storm. It has moved away from Puerto Rico but is still wreaking havoc on the small island nation.
It is now thundering over the Atlantic and is around 250 miles from Great Abaco Island in The Bahamas.
As the week goes on, the hurricane is expected to creep back towards the shore and come close to the Carolinas on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, bringing with it waves of up to 7ft and threatening beach erosion.
The hurricane is expected to weaken as it gets closer to land. On Saturday afternoon, maximum sustained winds at its center were 115mph.
On Friday, a dam at Lake Guajataca in Puerto Rico failed, sending gushes of water pouring down on the already vulnerable municipalities below.
70,000 people had been warned to evacuate suddenly on Friday in anticipation of the dam failure.
Maria now has The Bahamas and Bermuda in her sights. Both were included in The National Weather Service’s advisory on Saturday afternoon.
‘On the forecast track, Maria will move away from the Bahamas and offshore of the southeastern coast of the United States.
‘Interests along the Carolina and Mid-Atlantic coasts should monitor the progress of Maria. Tropical storm or hurricane watches may be needed for a portion of the coast on Sunday,’ the advisory said.
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