The Latest: Bahamas to evacuate islands in path of ‘Irma’
Minnis says the Category 5 storm poses a dire threat to the islands of Mayaguana, Inagua,
People who live on the islands will be flown Wednesday to
People who don't evacuate will be at "great danger" from storm surge caused by what he called a "monster" hurricane. Minnis says emergency personnel may not be available to rescue them when the storm is at its height between Thursday and Friday.
President
The declarations authorize the
The dangerous Category 5 storm is wielding the most powerful winds ever recorded for a storm in the
Irma's size and strength put the entire state on notice Tuesday. Residents and visitors prepared to leave in anticipation of catastrophic winds and floods.
Gov.
In his words: "It is much more dangerous than Harvey. The results could be catastrophic and devastating."
Rossello says the winds of the Category 5 storm will lash Culebra island around dawn Wednesday and move to
Spokesman
The corps says Irma could add a foot of water directly to the lake as it passes and then 3 feet of runoff in the coming weeks. The corps tries to keep the lake below 16 feet and worries about the stability of the Hoover Dike, which surrounds the lake, if it exceeds 18 feet.
Most of current dike was built in the 1960s. It averages 30 feet in height. Failures of the original embankments during hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 killed over 3,000 people when waters flooded neighboring towns. About 40,000 people live nearby today.
The dike has been undergoing a
People in the
Trucks are hauling away boats and people are packing in preparation for leaving. Houses in the Keys stand at sea level, with parts of the main road to the
At a trailer park,
Roberts says she is terrified, saying she lost everything when Hurricane Andrew hit south
Some small
Forecasters say those in the path of the Category 5 storm include tiny
Authorities are expecting the eye of Irma to pass directly over
Disaster Management agency Director
Meade says four shelters are opening on the island Tuesday though people tend to stay with friends and family.
Scott says tolls will be suspended to keep traffic flowing as residents begin to evacuate coastal areas in the potential path of the dangerous Category 5 storm.
The governor adds that tolls will remain suspended "for the duration of the storm's impacts to
Several important
The UCF athletic department says the home game will be played Friday at
The
The school also announced Tuesday that there will be no tailgating. Parking lots and the stadium will open for fans at
Water and basic foodstuffs are flying off the shelves of some stores in
The 65-year-old said he would have to try other shops, because "all the people are stocking up quick."
She was also stocking up on canned tuna, crackers and bread.
Said Webster: "I got some water already but I wanted more."
Hurricane Irma is the most powerful storm ever recorded in the
Four other storms have had winds that strong in the overall
Hurricane Allen hit 190 mph in 1980, while 2005's Wilma, 1988's Gilbert and a 1935 great Florida Key storm all had 185 mph winds.
Experts say Irma's strength is a result of unusually warm water for that part of the
Mayor
Gimenez activated the emergency operation center and urged residents to have three days' worth of food and water. The mayor reminded residents that tap water was a good resource, telling them to fill up bottles with tap water now.
Evacuation will begin Wednesday morning for special needs residents.
All
Officials in the
Clark says government offices, parks and schools will close and there will be no shelters in
Clark says residents and tourists should begin filling their tanks with fuel to prepare to drive to the mainland.
Scott says in a statement that the initial 100 troops will be stationed throughout the state. Some 7,000
Scott said Tuesday that the exact path of the storm is still unknown but officials "must prepare for the worst."
On Monday he declared a state of emergency in all of
Two hurricanes hit the state last year but neither was as powerful as Category 5 Irma is right now.
The statement from the
It closes with: "May God protect us all."
The center of the storm was expected to start passing north of
Tropical Storm Jose has formed in the open
Jose is located to the east of Hurricane Irma, which is a powerful and dangerous storm heading toward
Jose is the 10th tropical storm of the season. It has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and is about 1505 miles (2420 kilometers) east of the Lesser Antilles.
The Dutch government says it is sending about 100 marines to the
The government said Tuesday that the first marines were flown from the island of
Two Dutch navy ships based in the
Rossello thanks Kelly in a tweet for "the attention given to
The government has also dispatched inspectors to stores throughout the territory to check for possible price-gouging.
The governor of the
Gov.
Mapp says people in the islands may start to feel the storm's effects around midmorning Wednesday.
The flights were added in
Both islands are part of the northern Leeward Islands and are under a hurricane warning as Irma approaches the region Tuesday.
American says it expects to make additional flight changes as it monitors the storm.
Hurricane Irma has strengthened into a Category 5 storm as it roared toward the northeast
Irma's maximum sustained winds increased to 175mph (280 kph) early Tuesday. It was centered about 270 miles (440 kilometers) east of
Authorities warned that the storm could dump up to 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain, cause landslides and flash floods and generate waves of up to 23 feet (7 meters). Government officials began evacuations in certain islands.
States of emergency were declared in
It’s too late to get flood insurance before Irma — but there’s one exception
Powerful Hurricane Irma bears down on Caribbean islands
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