Preparations
See also: Tropical cyclone warnings and watches#North Atlantic systemsIn anticipation of Diana's first landfall, a tropical storm warning was issued on August 5 for Cancún, Mexico southward to Belize City, Belize on August 5, including the offshore islands from both nations; a tropical storm warning indicates that tropical storm force winds, 39 to 73 mph (39 to 118 km/h), are expected within 24 hours. Eleven hours later, the tropical storm warning was extended as far as Carmen, but was discontinued for the entire east coast of Belize. Residents along coastal areas of Quintana Roo were advised to evacuate inland. Emergency officials set up shelters were set up in Xcalak, Punta Herrero and Punta Allen. The Mexican Coast Guard was placed on alert and shipping across Quantana Roo was suspended during the evening of August 5. After Diana made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula on August 6, all of the tropical storm warnings in place were discontinued.
Nine hours after all warnings were along the Yucatán Peninsula, Diana began to threaten the mainland east coast of Mexico, and a hurricane watch was issued for Tuxpan to Boca de Jesus Maria; a hurricane watch notes the possibility of hurricane conditions within 48 hours, such as winds of at least 74 mph (119 km/h). Early on August 7, the National Hurricane Center anticipated on hurricane conditions within 24 hours, and as a result, a hurricane warning was issued for Nautla to Le Pesca. Simultaneously, a tropical storm warning was issued for La Pesca to Boca de Jesus Maria. Later that day, a hurricane warning had been issued for a similar area, stretching from Nautla to Lerdo de Tejada. By 0000 UTC on August 8, all of the watches and warnings in place were officially discontinued. According to Miguelangel Rebolledo, the captain of the port of Tuxpan, about 300 people fled low-lying areas.
Read more about this topic: Hurricane Diana
Famous quotes containing the word preparations:
“The most evident difference between man and animals is this: the beast, in as much as it is largely motivated by the senses and with little perception of the past or future, lives only for the present. But man, because he is endowed with reason by which he is able to perceive relationships, sees the causes of things, understands the reciprocal nature of cause and effect, makes analogies, easily surveys the whole course of his life, and makes the necessary preparations for its conduct.”
—Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 B.C.)
“Whatever may be the reason, whether it was that Hitler thought he might get away with what he had got without fighting for it, or whether it was that after all the preparations were not sufficiently complete—however, one thing is certain: he missed the bus.”
—Neville Chamberlain (1869–1940)
“At the ramparts on the cliff near the old Parliament House I counted twenty-four thirty-two-pounders in a row, pointed over the harbor, with their balls piled pyramid-wise between them,—there are said to be in all about one hundred and eighty guns mounted at Quebec,—all which were faithfully kept dusted by officials, in accordance with the motto, “In time of peace prepare for war”; but I saw no preparations for peace: she was plainly an uninvited guest.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)