Hurricane Zeta made landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon, and has since ravaged communities in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia throughout the night and Thursday morning.
Those living in various communities along the extended path of the storm have reported battering rains and winds, trees fallen and debris littered throughout their neighborhoods. Millions were without power Thursday. In Louisiana, one person reportedly died due to the tropical storm. Aly Neel, a spokesperson with the Louisiana Department of Health, said the death was disclosed by the coroner for Orleans Parish on Wednesday night. The dead man’s name wasn’t immediately released by the coroner’s office and exact circumstances of the death were not immediately disclosed.
After the storm made landfall Wednesday night, it’s been rapidly affecting families across the Southeast region. Many took to Twitter to report the devastation.
Still in absolute awe looking at tonight's water vapor imagery over the Southern US.
— Philippe Papin (@pppapin) October 29, 2020
In the last hour, Amarillo, TX reported thunder #snow w/ a TROWAL N of the cutoff cyclone. Meanwhile, #Hurricane #Zeta remains impressive w/ >100-mph gusts still being observed on the MS coast. pic.twitter.com/tWHkr4pbjE
Zeta shows it’s strength in Jesuit Bend. pic.twitter.com/6wVS1jhTWe
— John Carlton (@retiredATF1811) October 29, 2020
Sliding glass doors are moving in and out, power's out so you can hear everything hitting the house and transformers blowing. I'm officially cured of ever again staying in a house right off the beach for any storm approaching Cat 3. #HurricaneZeta Nope, Done.
— bibliofleur 🌊🥄⚜ 🖤💛 (@bibliofleur) October 29, 2020
Many expressed their concerns, fears and anxiety about the storm, which was slated to be the worst in Louisiana in more than 20 years, as it began to make headaway.
Praying for everyone in the path of Hurricane Zeta 🙏🏾
— Kelvin Bolden (@_kbolden) October 28, 2020
pray for louisiana. zeta made landfall.
— marie 💨 (@thisismaries) October 28, 2020
Hurricane Zeta got everybody closed.
— 🔮🌪✨🇳🇬 (@_lambadutingz) October 28, 2020
Those hit hardest near New Orleans shared some images from the storm, while many along the path in Georgia and Alabama showed the impact of torrential rain and wind.
Hurricane Zeta at Golden Meadow.#HurricaneZeta pic.twitter.com/HuZppxpOIb
— WXChasing (Brandon Clement) (@bclemms) October 28, 2020
Lake Pontchartrain is getting very angry as #HurricaneZeta approaches #NewOrleans. @weatherchannel @mikebettes #waves pic.twitter.com/MnGkw0sbg1
— Charles Peek (@CharlesPeekWX) October 28, 2020
Golden Meadow, LA is being slammed by #Hurricane #Zeta's eyewall. Those are 100+mph winds pic.twitter.com/wLFUjQ6owW
— WxAtlantic (@WxAtlantic) October 28, 2020
Georgians woke up Thursday to find downed trees and almost a million people without power in the wake of Tropical Storm Zeta. If your neighborhood experienced any damage, we'd like to see your photos. Add them to the comments below ⬇
— AJC (@ajc) October 29, 2020
LIVE UPDATES HERE: https://t.co/oMo3kajvET pic.twitter.com/fqZf7wfJXb
Northern eye wall of #Zeta now emerging in Golden Meadow, LA. pic.twitter.com/pNIphfHe0r
— Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office (@LafourcheSO) October 28, 2020
At 4:04 pm Central. Hurricane Zeta outer bands stir Uptown New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/wAPdaHbvkL
— Christine Brandt (@LavishTantrums) October 28, 2020
This is Hurricane Zeta making landfall @ Port Fourchon, Louisiana at about 4pm cst. This video was taken about 50 miles “as the crow flies” from my house. Zeta is heading straight for me! Still have electricity. So far. Rock on! Play some Rush for me! @RushFamTourneys @vivien2112 pic.twitter.com/kzhFEtXxTa
— Riding the Route (@FFedUpp) October 28, 2020
Over the past couple decades, meteorologists have been increasingly worried about storms that just blow up in strength, like Zeta. They created an official threshold for this dangerous powering up — a storm gaining 35 mph (56 kph) in wind speed in just 24 hours.
Earlier this year Hannah, Laura, Sally, Teddy, Gamma and Delta all rapidly intensified. An eighth storm, Marco, just missed the mark. Laura and Delta tied or set records for rapid intensification. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration climate and hurricane scientist Jim Kossin studied the effect and found storms now are more likely to rapidly intensify than they did in the 1980s and “a lot of that has to do with human-caused climate change.”
People in the storm’s path in other states also tweeted prayers and best wishes.
Some expressed frustration that the presidential campaigning continued Wednesday as the storm approached.
POTUS, get your keister OFF Twitter and take care of affairs of your office FOR A CHANGE. Hurricane Zeta is devastating Louisianna/Georgia, and all you do is promote yourself and your campaign. Another reason I'd NEVER vote for you or those in govt who support you!
— Janet McIlwee (@JanetMcIlwee) October 28, 2020
These storms. From the moment I see them coming until it stops raining, I kind of hold my breath. Between the #pandemic, the #election2020 and hurricane #Zeta (which has preemptively closed schools tomorrow in #Georgia) I…am out of chill.
— Robin Graves (Takin’ Names) (@Swoopy) October 28, 2020
Dozens of school systems in Georgia called off school Thursday in light of the power outages and stormy conditions.
Among districts that are calling off in-person classes are the 180,000-student Gwinnett County district and the 110,000-student Cobb County district, both in the northern suburbs of Atlanta.
“This decision was made in keeping with our commitment to student and staff safety, with particular concern for our youngest bus riders,” the Cobb district said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.