Alabamans and residents of other Gulf Coast states have had no respite from a barrage of bad weather. Tropical Storm Cindy arrived on Thursday morning to add to the states’ weather woes.
Already responsible for a death in Alabama, Cindy is expected to continue its path of destruction all the way from eastern Texas to northwestern Florida. That means in-between states like Alabama have received the brunt of Cindy’s wrath.
The National Weather Service reported that the storm was responsible for anywhere from two to 10 inches of rain by Wednesday afternoon. In addition, the service reported conditions for Thursday would be much the same as Wednesday. But in Alabama, the flooding had already begun.
Any traffic marking paint — worth an impressive $454 million in 2014 alone — on the roads was covered in rainwater or seawater by late Wednesday. Streets were flooded with knee- and waist-deep water, beaches were closed, and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency.
Streets and beaches on Dauphin Island became so dangerously flooded that they were closed for the safety of the public. But more major roads were flooded and closed, as well. In Mobile, high water prompted the closing of all eastbound lanes of traffic across the bay. According to transportation officials, only one westbound lane remains open.
Becca Caldemeyer, a bait shop owner in the seafood village of Bayou La Batre, still managed to get her business up and running despite the flooded streets. But she wasn’t optimistic about sales.
“It’s pretty quiet,” Caldemeyer told ABC News. “Nobody can cast a shrimp out in this kind of wind.”
But lost business isn’t the only threat in the muddy waters flooding the streets. State officials have warned residents that threats like floating colonies of fire ants could form in the rushing waters.
In addition, home damage is inevitable as a result of Cindy. A strong national warranty company like 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty may be able to provide up to 10 years of protection for structural defects, but damage from a tropical storm is unpredictable and can often be devastating.
And Cindy is still making its way up the coast, bringing the threat of tornadoes and more coastal flooding with it. Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert briefed President Trump on the storm early Wednesday.
