Hurricane Zeta makes landfall in the US

The US has seen another powerful hurricane make landfall this week after building up speed and strength in the Gulf of Mexico.  Hurricane Zeta moved inland through Louisiana and Mississippi on Thursday and left more than 2.6 million people without power across a number of southern states.  Wind speeds are thought to have reached 100mph and six people are known to have died.  

A lot of damage has been done to buildings and power lines as the fierce winds ripped through the streets and brought down trees and electrical cables.  In coastal areas, flood waters have risen and flooded people's homes and businesses.  For residents of New Orleans who remember the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, this has brought back some difficult memories from that time.

The US has seen 27 storms so far in this year's hurricane season.  It normally sees around 6 hurricanes and 12 large named storms.  This increase in storm frequency is becoming part of an all too common change in global weather patterns.  Climate change is adding warmth and moisture to these storms which makes them more powerful, more frequent, and more likely to cause devastating damage when they reach land.  If the US and other countries around the world can work together to reduce carbon emissions, it should help stop the frequency of these storms which will help save lives and save money from the cost of damage caused.  

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