Cargo ship missing as Joaquin slams Bahamas

Even with Hurricane Joaquin no longer as big of a threat, the weekend promises little relief for the most waterlogged parts of the East Coast. Governors in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, South Carolina, and North Carolina have declared states of emergency ahead of the storm’s arrival. Totals could exceed 5 inches in many locations, with a few areas having the potential to see a foot of rain.

To the northeast, one person died and another was injured in a crash near Fayetteville, North Carolina, when a tree fell across an interstate and hit two cars.

The storm was already blamed for at least one death in South Carolina, where heavy rain has fallen for days.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Central Bahamas and the Northwestern Bahamas including: the Abacos, the Berry Islands, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, New Providence, and Acklins, Crooked Island, and Mayaguana in the Southeast Bahamas. Joaquin could reach Bermuda — an island that, despite its location, tends to be missed by most tropical storms – early Monday as a Category 1 storm.

Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Dora Schriro said Friday “we do not expect Joaquin to have a major impact on Connecticut”, but added, “we can not let our guard down”.

Flood waters enveloped this neighborhood in the Strathmere section of Upper Township N.J. on Friday October. 2, 2015. “We have all of this tropical moisture, and it’s going to get sucked into the Carolinas, into Virginia, maybe even into Georgia, and that will cause flooding”. “There’s no question”, said Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist with the center.

“Residents of the Carolinas north should be paying attention and monitoring the storm”.

The latest tracking maps show the powerful storm staying well offshore after it leaves the island chain, which is expected to happen sometime on late Friday or early Saturday morning.

Hurricane Joaquin is now swirling off the coast of the Bahamas and is gearing up to unleash gales of up to 140mph in the United States.

Meehan says the rain on Thursday and the impending Hurricane Joaquin have him concerned.

Hurricane Joaquin, no longer seen as a danger to the Atlantic Seaboard, continued Friday on a path expected to keep it well off the US coast.

“This vessel is disabled basically right near the eye of Hurricane Joaquin“, said Capt. Mark Fedor.

Authorities in the Bahamas prepared for a brush with the storm, with the center expected to pass near or over several islands during the night and Thursday. Officials also were investigating reports that eight to 10 people were caught by the storm on the normally uninhabited Samana Cays. However, there is another weather concern along the East Coast…flooding rain.

The governor said within 24 hours of Hyde County officials declaring a mandatory evacuation of low-lying Ocracoke Island, the state’s ferry division had removed 485 vehicles and almost 1,100 people.

The National Park Service is closing turf fields and canceling events around the Washington area as the region prepares for heavy rainfall and the possible arrival of Hurricane Joaquin.

Aissen explained that a combination of factors, including a high-pressure system behind the system, are helping push Joaquin away from the US coast. Slow weakening of the storm was expected to begin Saturday.