Storm losing punch?

Press, 11 August 1980, Page 1

Storm losing punch?

NZPA-Reuter Brownsville, Texas Hurricane Allen swept across the Texas coast; early yesterday, destroying some houses in the coastal town of Brownsville. ■ But in spite of torrential rain and flooding, the storm seemed to have lost some of its punch. It'" drove a Liberian tanker, the 34,594-tori Mary Ellen, ashore on Mustang Island after the ship had .lost power but the 37-member crew was reported to be safe and to be staying aboard the tanker, which seemed to

be .in no danger of breaking up. The authorities estimated that 150,000 people had fled inland before the hurricane, one of .the strongest of the century, struck. Earlier it had killed more than 80 people and caused much .damage on Carib bean islands. ‘ But the strength of its Winds, which topped -150 knots (about 270km/h) ■at one point, -.seemed to-be slackening and a private meteorologist predicted that its fury would pass Within 12 hours of its hitting land. .. ' Inland it .was expected tobring heavy rain . but

little else and no relief to the south-west states which have suffered a summer-long drought. Meteorologists estimated that tides would be 5m above normal. Across- the Rio Grande River from Brownsville,.. the Mexican authorities moved 12,000 people from ’ low-lying coastal areas. .

The. Caribbean island worst hit by" the . stormwas Haiti/ where a first count showed .41 people dead and damage estimated at about $2OO million. The death toll could, rise as reports ' come in from outlying areas where com- 1 munications were cut.