Hurricane Debby brings $1 mn worth cocaine on Florida beach

Several packages of cocaine, valued at over $1 million, have been discovered on a Florida beach following Hurricane Debby’s landfall on Monday. The cocaine, totaling 70 pounds, was found washed up on a beach in the Florida Keys.

Acting Chief Patrol Agent Samuel Briggs of the US Border Patrol’s Miami division reported that a passerby found the drugs and alerted authorities, who promptly seized the contraband.

Hurricane Debby, which made landfall north of Steinhatchee, Florida, has since been downgraded to a tropical storm.

Despite this, the storm continues to affect the region with heavy rainfall and strong winds of 40 to 50 mph. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned that Georgia and eastern South Carolina may experience “potentially historic heavy rainfall” through Friday.

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In response to the storm, President Joe Biden has approved emergency declarations for Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, allowing for federal aid to support recovery efforts.

The storm has claimed at least five lives, including a 13-year-old boy in Fanning Springs, Florida, and a 19-year-old man in South Georgia, both killed by falling trees.

Debby has led to flash flooding, road and school closures, and widespread power outages.

As of Tuesday, over 109,000 homes and businesses in Florida and around 50,000 in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina are still without power.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season for 2024, driven by global warming and warmer ocean temperatures.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Robert Samaan urged affected residents to heed local warnings, check on neighbors, and stay informed about weather updates.