Tropical Storm Nicole is already starting to show its strength as it landfalls in Florida. Videos and pictures have been emerging from the state’s Volusia County that show how the storm has already begun taking a toll on the county’s infrastructure. 

Mike Chitwood, Volusia County’s sheriff, has already issued a warning via his Twitter page, where he said, “already seeing structures collapse. Please heed the evacuations & curfew – it’s not the time for sight-seeing. We’ll get through this together, but be smart & don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation.”

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In an interview with WESH-TV, Chitwood said regarding the current situation at Volusia County, “Right now, ground zero is here”.

According to latest reports, all bridges in the county have been closed for civilians and can only be accessed by rescue operatives or law enforcement officials.

Residents of the county have also begun sharing distressing pictures of the flooding and destruction the hurricane has been causing. Check out some of them right here:

Experts have been warning that as the sea level continues to rise as an after-effect of global warming, the pressure on sea walls will simultaneously increase. This will amplify the chances of coastal communities getting flooded.

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An expert told CNN, “It doesn’t really take a strong storm – you just need high tides or storm-agitated tides to wash away or put extra stress on the walls,” further adding, “Having these two storms [Ian and Nicole] six weeks apart, if you don’t give places any time to repair or replenish, each storm definitely leaves its mark.” 

According to a report published in 2019 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, high-tide flooding will affect the United States for 25 to 75 days every year by 2050.