Hurricane Alex hampers oil spill efforts and heads for Mexico and Texas

Hurricane Alex, the first tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, has been wreaking havoc in the Gulf of Mexico.

Twelve foot high waves and strong winds have put BP oil spill cleanup efforts on hold, which could last up to a week. Skimming ships have been forced to return to shore. Drilling efforts to stem the flow of oil are continuing in spite of the weather, but the target of collecting 53,000 barrels of oil a day will not be reached while the weather remains bad.

Parts of the Louisiana and Mississippi shorelines have been experiencing rough surf, and booms that were laid out to prevent oil washing onshore have lost their efficiency as the waves spill over the top of them.

Hurricane Alex is set to hit land in northern Mexico and southern Texas later today. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued a hurricane warning. The hurricane warning affects the areas between La Cruz in Mexico and Baffin Bay in Texas. Many residents in Brownsville, Texas have already begun to evacuate their homes.

At least twelve inches of rain are expected when Hurricane Alex hits land, which could cause flash floods and deadly mudslides.

If you are on holiday in Mexico or Texas, keep up to date with local weather reports, and if you are advised to evacuate, do so immediately. The World Meteorological Organisation also provides up to date information. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office website contains advice about what to do in the event of a hurricane.

Your travel insurance should provide cover for hurricanes under the catastrophe section. If your holiday accommodation is damaged due to a hurricane, your travel insurance should cover the cost of alternative lodgings. Insurewithease.com provides cover for hurricanes across a range of affordable single trip and annual travel insurance policies.

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