Tropical Storm Hanna bearing down on area of Texas already devastated by coronavirus

Already dealing with nearly 10,000 coronavirus cases and more than 100 deaths, Nueces County is now preparing for Tropical Storm Hanna, headed for the Texas coast.

Corpus Christi, already beset by a spike in COVID cases, now faces the dangers of Tropical Storm Hanna. The National Hurricane Service issued a hurricane warning for a section of the Texas coast from Baffin Bay to Sargent — an area that includes Corpus Christi Bay, Copany Bay, Aransas Bay, San Antonio Bay and Matagorda Bay.

The National Weather Service issued a warning of “life-threatening storm surge” for the areas that include Corpus Christi, Rockport and Port Lavaca. Looking to assist, Gov. Greg Abbott dispatched emergency resources to the Coastal Bend region and to the Rio Grande Valley, wherethe governor is simultaneously sending more than 1,000 medical personnel to help fight the novel coronavirus, which has devastated South Texas.

The city already closed a drive-through coronavirus testing site in Corpus Christi until at least Tuesday, officials said.

“Don’t forget to know,” said Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb, “we’re also fighting the coronavirus.”

“I join Mayor McComb in saying there is no doubt that we have a tremendous experience when it comes to these kinds of storms,” Canales said. “Where coronavirus may have caught us off guard, a hurricane does not. We know what to do. We know how to help.”

McComb underscored the reality of the coronavirus when warning residents who live in flood-prone neighborhoods about the prospect of evacuation.

“Take several masks with you because you might be there a couple days if you're in a flood area,” McComb said. “We don’t want to expose anyone during this storm… Even when you’re in the house, I recommend wearing a mask if you're in crowded conditions.”

by Mitchell Ferman of The Texas Tribune