Hurricanes cause major destruction

Three major hurricanes formed within two weeks of each other are estimated to cause hundreds of billions of dollars in damages across the Caribbean and southeast United States.

Hurricane Harvey was the first to come, classified as a category 4 hurricane on Aug 25. It was also the first major hurricane to land in the United States since 2005.

Hurricane Harvey formed as a tropical storm southeast of the Caribbean Sea on Aug. 17. From there, it strengthened and followed a path through the Caribbean Sea, causing major destruction in Suriname, Guyana, Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize internationally, and Texas and Louisiana in the United States before dissipating on Sept. 2.

According to the Los Angeles Times, it is estimated that Hurricane Harvey caused over $81 billion in economic losses. There are at least 71 confirmed deaths and in Texas more than 300,000 people were left without electricity.

As of Sept. 11, Hurricane Irma is a weakening tropical cyclone.

As a Category 5 hurricane, Hurricane Irma was the most intense Atlantic hurricane in the last ten years.

On Aug. 30, Hurricane Irma developed off the west coast of Africa from a tropical wave.

The hurricane went on to cause damage in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, Cuba internationally, and Florida in the United States.

According to BBC, Hurricane Irma has caused at least 41 deaths throughout the Caribbean and United States as of Sept 10.

Economic damages are estimated at $172 billion in the United States.

As of Sept. 11, Hurricane Jose is a Category 2 hurricane northeast of Turks and Caicos.

It is threatening to cause further destruction in the Bahamas and possibly the east coast of the United States.

Like Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Jose formed from a tropical wave off the west coast of Africa on Aug. 31.

While it’s too soon to estimate deaths or damages, Hurricane Jose does have maximum sustained wind of 105 mph as of Sept 11., according to the National Hurricane Center.