Hurricane Isaias approaches US Gulf Coast, raising storm surge fears

Hurricane Isaias is gaining strength while heading towards the Gulf Coast, prompting mandatory evacuations across Florida. (Pic Credit: AP) Hurricane Isaias intensified on Thursday as it moved towards the US Gulf Coast, prompting mandatory evacuations in parts of Florida. Forecasters warned of life-threatening storm surges, tornadoes and flooding, as authorities declared a state of emergency in affected areas.Storm Disrupts Oil and Gas ProductionHurricane Isaias has severely disrupted oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico, forcing energy companies to evacuate offshore platforms and suspend operations.The Marine Minerals Administration, which monitors offshore oil and gas operators in the Gulf of Mexico, said on Thursday that personnel had been evacuated from 121 production platforms. Five rigs were also reported to be outside dynamically positioned operations ahead of the storm.Around 1.3 million barrels of oil per day had been taken offline, accounting for approximately 63% of the Gulf’s current oil production. In addition, more than 1.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day had been shut off, representing around 57% of the region’s total output.It is stated that 16% of...