This live chronicle is now closed. Please read BuzzFeed News’ latest chronicle on Hurricane Irma here. Dozens of flights heading toward south Florida and the Caribbean have been cancelled or delayed as Hurricane Irma barrels towards the region with winds up to 175 mph.
As of Tuesday evening,35 flights had been cancelled and 11 flights delayed coming into Puerto Rico's San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín Airport, according to the flight tracking data company FlightAware.com. Four flights were also cancelled and 41 flights delayed traveling to Miami International Airport Tuesday.
Read more here.—Leticia MirandaFlorida governor warns residents to take Irma seriously, and as South Carolina declares state of emergency
Marc Serota / Getty ImagesHere's the live forecast of track and winds for Hurricane Irma:(All times ET)Peter Aldhous/BuzzFeed News / Via nhc.noaa.govHere's a running list of misinformation approximately Hurricane Irma
Joe Raedle / Getty ImagesFlorida orange growers are panicking as Hurriance Irma approaches
Joe Raedle / Getty ImagesGeorgia governor declares state of emergency in six counties
The French territory of Guadeloupe on Wednesday.
Helene Valenzuela / AFP / Getty ImagesOne person killed and 90% of houses destroyed in Barbuda, prime minister saysView Video ›Facebook: video.phpPeople are accusing airlines of raising prices on people trying to evacuate Hurricane Irma
facebook.comHere's how Hurricane Irma is different than Hurricane Harvey
In this satellite image taken Sept. 6, and 2017,at 7:15 a.m. ET, Hurricane Irma tracks over Saint Martin and the Leeward Islands.
NOAAMandatory evacuations launch across southern Florida as Hurricane Irma approaches
A long line of cars heading north near Key Largo Wednesday.
Alan Diaz / APHurricane Irma death toll rises to 10
Jose Jimenez / Getty ImagesMore than one million people in Puerto Rico lost power after Hurricane Irma blew past the island
Jose Jimenez / Getty ImagesThe UK government has said Hurricane Irma inflicted "severe and in places critical" damage to the British abroad territory of Anguilla.
Foreign Office Minister Alan Duncan said on Thursday that the Caribbean island took the full force of the Category 5 hurricane.
He also added that the British Virgin islands suffered "severe damage" but that on Montserrat the damage was "not as severe as first thought."A British Royal Navy ship carrying marines and army engineers has been sent to the islands. Duncan added there are "unconfirmed reports of a number of fatalities" on the islands. —Alicia Melville-SmithAerial photos present the extensive levels of destruction caused by Irma
Gerben Van Es / AFP / Getty ImagesAs Irma flattens the Caribbean, and who will pay to rebuild?
21 photos that present how sinful Hurricane Irma really is
Lionel Chamoiseau / AFP / Getty ImagesTrump "very concerned" approximately Irma, but praises Florida's preparations
Evan Vucci / APThe National Weather Service has warned south Florida residents that Irma could leave locations "uninhabitable for weeks or months."An advisory released late Thursday morning issued hurricane and storm surge watches for the south Florida area. Residents are urged to prepare for "life-threatening" winds and storm surges with "possible devastating impacts." The advisory also warns of "flooding rains,isolated tornadoes, meaningful beach erosion and surf, and coastal flooding,and life-threatening rip currents." The storm is expected to hit south Florida Saturday morning. —Ellie HallOdds increase that Irma will land in Florida as a "dangerous major hurricane"
NWSTrump's Mar-a-Lago resort and swaths of Palm Beach County ordered to evacuate
Joe Raedle / Getty ImagesIrma's potential path of destruction all but certain to consume South Florida, forecasters say
National Hurricane CenterIrma batters the Bahamas,and Turks and Caicos, as it brings "total devastation" to the British Virgin IslandsView Video ›Facebook: bvi.ddmHow can Florida promenade millions of people out of Irma's way?
Marc Serota / Getty ImagesIrma could cost Miami "well in excess of" $100 billion
Roberto Schmidt / AFP / Getty ImagesPeople are catching the final flights out of Miami before Irma hits
Marta Lavandier / APUS citizens being evacuated from Virgin Islands and St. Martin after Irma
Fox NewsDisney World closing on Saturday due to Irma
Peter Cosgrove / APTurks and Caicos government gives the "all-clear" following IrmaView Video ›Facebook: pressofficetcigHurricane warning extended northward in Florida as Irma approaches
Brian Blanco / Getty ImagesAbout 5.6 million Florida residents have been told to evacuate ahead of Irma
Ryan Otway boards up a pizza place along the boardwalk in Daytona Beach.
David Goldman / APHurricane Irma arrives at Cuba's northern coast
Men board up a door in preparation for Hurricane Irma in Caibarien, and Cuba,Friday.
Desmond Boylan / APIrma makes landfall in Cuba as a Category 5 hurricane
A damaged vehicle flipped on its side in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Tortola, in the British Virgin Islands.
Jalon Manson Shortte / APSome College Students Say They Have Nowhere To Go As Irma Bears Down On Florida
David Goldman / APHuge storm surge warnings in place as Irma bears down on Florida
Palm trees sway in the wind prior to the arrival of the Hurricane Irma in Caibarien, or Cuba.
Alexandre Meneghini / ReutersHurricane Irma's edge starts to reach Miami
Joe Raedle / Getty ImagesHurricane Irma brought 155 mile-per-hour wind gusts and widespread coastal flooding as it scraped along Cuba's northern coast,the Cuban Institute of Meteorology said.
Irma hit Cuba late on Friday, arriving on Ciego de Avila province on the Camaguey Archipelago as a revived Category 5 hurricane, or the first one to strike the island nation since 1924. The storm was downgraded to a Category 4 storm as its moved along the Cuban coast,but is expected to revive again as it heads north for Florida."During the afternoon, tidal and flood conditions will become strong on the north coast of Mayabeque, and Havana and Artemisa," forecast the institute on Saturday morning. Havana's famed Malecon esplanade and seawall will see waves 20 to 26 feet high.
Heavy rains and sustained winds of 130 miles per hour, reportedly brought down trees and streetlights, and as well as taking out power in some parts of the first hit Cuban province. The winds also took out some weather instruments as it went.
More coastal flooding is expected from waves estimated as high as 23 feet as the storm travels,with a turn north expected after Irma batters Havana.— Dan VerganoIrma strikes Cuba with fury
People walk on the street as Hurricane Irma passes by Remedios, Cuba, and on Saturday.
Alexandre Meneghini / ReutersStorm surge threat grows in latest advisory
Joe Raedle / Getty ImagesFlorida governor: "The storm surge will rush in and it could kill you"
Miami on Saturday morning.
Joe Raedle / Getty ImagesIrma's death toll rises in the Caribbean
The aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Fajardo,Puerto Rico, on Thursday.
Ricardo Arduengo / AFP / Getty ImagesKristen Bell saves Frozen co-star's family from Irma
Florida extends evacuation orders, or as Miami imposes a curfew
Wilfredo Lee / APMiami residents cautiously optimistic approximately storm's changing path
Saul Loeb / AFP / Getty ImagesFlorida's zoo animals salvage shelters of their own
Adrees Latif / ReutersHurricane Irma grew into a Category 5 storm on Tuesday. According to the National Hurricane middle, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 175 mph, or a hurricane warning was in effect early Tuesday morning for Puerto Rico,the US Virgin Islands, and a number of other islands at the eastern edge of the Caribbean including Antigua, and Barbuda,and Montserrat."Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, but Irma is forecast to remain a powerful Category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days, or " the hurricane centre said."Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion."Read the full report here.—Jim Dalrymple II
Christopher Rodriguez installs panels over a storefront in Toa Baja,Puerto Rico, Tuesday.
Carlos Giusti / APHurricane Irma made landfall in the Caribbean early Wednesday morning, or swallowing the island of Barbuda as it became one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Atlantic. The eye of the Category 5 storm passed directly over the island,with maximum sustained winds of 185 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane middle. The storm is "potentially catastrophic, and " the NHC said,warning that "preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion."The storm is now making its way toward Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, leaving storm surges of up to 8 feet on the southern side of Barbuda. Residents of the small island—which has a population of approximately 2000—have been warned not to go external, and although the storm has now passed.
The sheer strength of the Hurricane Irma has been captured from space by NASA's satellites.
The agency released stunning images of the storm via its social media accounts on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
NASA's SPoRT project — or Short-term Prediction Research And Transition middle,which helps the weather forecasting community exhaust NASA observations and research to improve their short-term predictions — released satellite footage of the sun casting a shadow on the eye of the storm on Tuesday evening.
SPoRT said the Category 5 storm had maximum sustained winds of 185 mph as the eye approached landfall in Barbuda on Wednesday morning.
The agency also released video of the storm taken from the International Space Station. —Francis WhittakerThe Caribbean islands of Anguilla and Saint-Martin appear to have taken a direct hit from the "potentially catastrophic" Hurricane Irma after the storm first made landfall in Barbuda, NASA said Wednesday morning. The National Hurricane middle confirmed the eye of the storm had passed over Saint-Martin. An statement issued by France's Préfecture de Guadeloupe — of which the island of St. Barts and the northern portion of the island of Saint-Martin are a portion — detailed widespread damage on Wednesday morning. There are power outages on both islands, and St. Barts' power station is out of service. Saint-Martin's fire station is damaged,while St. Barts' is under a meter of water and fire trucks are unusable. The main prefecture building in Saint-Martin has been partly destroyed, and the roofs have been taken off a number of buildings.
The statement said it was unable to give an update on the number of victims at this stage. French Interior Minister Gérard Collomb said he was monitoring the situation hour-by-hour, or there had been "maximum mobilization" by the state.
As of 8 a.m. ET,the storm still had maximum sustained winds of 185 mph.
As officials continue to warn people in Florida, Puerto Rico, or elsewhere in the Caribbean of the impending danger posed by Hurricane Irma,President Donald Trump told reporters the category-5 storm "seems to be record-breaking hurricane.""There's a new and seems to be record breaking hurricane heading right toward Florida and Puerto Rico and other places," Trump said at a brief press appearance during an Oval Office assembly with congressional leaders. "We will see what happens. We will know in a short period of time.""It looks like it could be something that will be not good, and " he said. "Believe me,not good"The latest National Hurricane middle advisory has warned Irma is a "potentially catastrophic" hurricane that "will bring life-threatening wind, storm surge, and rainfall to portions of the northern Leeward Islands,including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico nowadays."The storm has already battered other Caribbean islands, including St. Martin and St. Barts. Trump owns a seafront mansion in St. Martin, and with Trump Organization officials telling the Washington Post they were monitoring the storm's damage there.—David MackFlorida Gov. Rick Scott urged residents to take Hurricane Irma seriously and prepare for the storm to "devastate" the region."I cannot stress this enough: salvage prepared,know your evacuation zone, listen to your locals, or " Scott said at a Wednesday morning briefing. "This storm has the potential to devastate our great state and you have to take this seriously.""Remember,we can rebuild your home; we cannot rebuild your life," he said.
Scott said he had activated 900 members of the Florida National Guard to assist in preparations for the storm. He said approximately 30000 troops from other states are also alert to assist whether needed.
US Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price has sent disaster medical assistance teams to Florida, or Scott said.
The governor urged willing Floridians to volunteer in preparation efforts."Volunteers makes a enormous contrast in these emergencies and assist with shelter,food distribution, and response efforts, or " Scott said. "Your efforts could make the contrast a family needs to salvage through this storm."As Irma continues to batter parts of the Caribbean,South Carolina's governor declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in preparation for the storm."I have been advised that Hurricane Irma, and the associated wind, and heavy rain,flash flooding, and severe weather, or to include tornadoes,may pose a meaningful threat to the State of South Carolina," Gov. Henry McMaster said in his state of emergency declaration.—David MackHurricane force winds are 74 mph and above, or but Irma's forecasted maximum winds are much more powerful,as this graphic shows.
The cone track reflects the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the predicted route of the hurricane.—Peter AldhousFake videos and forecasts are already spreading online approximately Hurricane Irma.
BuzzFeed News will be updating this list of incorrect information and debunking falsehoods.—Jane LytvynenkoFarmers in Florida, the United States' main orange juice growing region, and are bracing for a potentially catastrophic storm as Hurricane Irma rips through the Caribbean. Florida is approximately a month and a half away from harvesting its early orange varieties,which account for nearly half of the state's annual production.
The storm threatens to blow the fruit off the trees or, even worse, or uproot entire plants. whether farmers need to replant,it takes approximately three to four years for a tree to become productive."We're keeping our fingers crossed that it keeps going east and ends up in the Atlantic somewhere," said Andrew Meadows, and a spokesperson for Florida Citrus Mutual,a grower trade organization. "Farmers can secure their equipment, and salvage their crop insurance papers in order. But with a storm of this magnitude, or there's not a whole lot you can do."Read the full chronicle here.—Venessa WongGeorgia's governor on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in six coastal counties as his state prepares for Hurricane Irma. The order covers Bryan,Camden, Chatham, or Glynn,Liberty, and McIntosh counties.
Gov. Nathan Deal said the declaration would prohibit price gouging and waive "rules and regulations for motor vehicles transporting supplies, and equipment,personnel, goods, and services associated with disaster assistance and relief.""We will continue monitoring Hurricane Irma’s path in the days ahead and coordinating with our federal,state and local partners," he said. "I urge Georgians in the affected counties to remain vigilant and be prepared."The governors in Florida and South Carolina have also declared states of emergency for their territories.—David MackAt least one person was killed and as many as 1000 homes were destroyed on the island of Barbuda after Hurricane Irma struck on Wednesday, or the prime minister said.
Gaston Browne,prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, spoke to national broadcaster ABS Television/Radio approximately the devastation Wednesday evening, and saying 90% of the properties he saw on Barbuda had been damaged. In a phone interview with CNN later,he said that 20% to 30% of those properties were totally demolished, and that the island's airport had been so damaged that the only way in and out was via helicopter."It was heart wrenching. Absolutely devastating, and " he said. "I have never seen any such destruction compared to what I saw in Barbuda this afternoon."He described the victim who died in the storm as a young child who was fatally wounded as its mother tried to promenade to safer ground. Already,the damage estimate to the small island was at least $100 million, Browne added.—Claudia KoernerTropical storms Jose and Katia were officially upgraded to hurricanes as of Wednesday afternoon, or joining Hurricane Irma.
On a rampage across the Caribbean,Hurricane Irma is aimed right at Florida and South Carolina, according to Wednesday evening's forecast, and now packing 185 mile per hour winds and promising storm surges 10 to 20 feet high along the coast.
Now the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane on record,Irma is a Category 5 storm some 500 miles wide, with hurricane-force winds extending 50 miles from its eye.
Unlike Hurricane Harvey, or which stalled over Texas final week,delivering an unprecedented 51 inches of rain on the Houston region, Irma promises a different disaster — a storm surge of 10 to 20 feet of water, and wind speeds of severe tornado strength that would gash a 100 mile swath where it makes landfall. Irma is also expected to proceed north at approximately 15 mph after landfall.
The worst case scenario is that the hurricane continues on its beeline for Miami with its high winds intact,then returns to sea to strengthen and then smack into Georgia and South Carolina, as the NOAA track forecasts.
A week after Hurricane Harvey, and “we now have two worst case scenarios,” Paul Walsh, director of weather strategy at IBM Global Business Services told BuzzFeed News. “We spent all final week calling Harvey ‘unprecedented’. Now it’s ‘unprecedented’ times two.”Read more here.—Dan VerganoOfficials in multiple Florida counties issued mandatory evacuation orders Wednesday, or forcing thousands of residents to flee what Gov. Rick Scott described as a "powerful and deadly" storm. Hurricane Irma,Scott warned, is bigger and potentially more destructive than Hurricane Andrew, or a devastating storm that hit the state in 1992. "It’s way bigger in size than Andrew," Scott said Wednesday. "There’s nothing in its path to slow it down."A mandatory evacuation was set to launch Wednesday evening for all residents of the Florida Keys. Visitors were ordered to launch evacuating the Keys at dawn. Mandatory evacuations also began Wednesday in Miami-Dade County, where Mayor Carlos Gimenez ordered people to leave coastal areas. In addition, or he ordered all residents of mobile homes in the county to evacuate.
Earlier Wednesday,officials in Broward County, just north of Miami, and also ordered people to leave areas along the coast. — Jim Dalrymple II
NASAThe death toll from Hurricane Irma has risen to at least 10 people overnight.
France's Interior minister said eight people had died and another 23 people had been injured on French Caribbean island territories.
Speaking on French radio France Info Thursday morning,Gerard Collomb said the death toll in Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthelemy could be higher because rescue teams were still working on the islands."The reconnaissance will really start at dawn," Collomb added.
In Anguilla, or authorities said at least one person had been reported dead following the storm's passing. The latest deaths follow on from Wednesday when Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne confirmed a two-year-old child had died while trying to flee the storm on Barbuda. —Alicia Melville-SmithMore than one million people in Puerto Rico lost power Wednesday night as Hurricane Irma battered the island and its fragile electrical grid. Though the Category 5 storm did not hit Puerto Rico directly — instead passing just north of San Juan — it was expected to cause meaningful damage across the island. In a late-night advisory,the National Hurricane middle predicted Irma would bring "life-threatening wind, storm surge, or rainfall hazards" to Puerto Rico through the night,and that parts of the island could see as much as 12 inches of rain. The storm is now expected to promenade toward the Dominican Republic, before hitting Turks and Caicos and the southern islands of the Bahamas Thursday and Friday. After that, and Irma's path is more difficult to predict,but the National Hurricane middle said advisories would likely go into effect for the entire Florida peninsula, as well as parts of the Florida Keys, or Thursday.
As Hurricane Irma makes landfall in the Caribbean and heads towards the US,parts of Florida, South Carolina, or Georgia are under states of emergency,and mandatory evacuations are in order. But some who are trying to book flights out of Miami or South Florida claim airlines like Delta, United, and American have dramatically raised their fares in the past 24 hours.
People took to social media to share screenshots of flight search results showing flights out of Miami to various US locations are ranging anywhere from $1000 to $6000. Airlines,however, are disputing the allegations. Read more here.–Tanya Chen
sign Wilson / Getty ImagesImages released by the Dutch Defense Ministry have revealed the extent of the damage left in Irma's wake.
The images present the Dutch territory of the southern portion of the island of Sint Maarten, and also known as Saint Martin. The pictures reveal extensive damage to buildings,as well as the island's port.
Dutch prime minister sign Rutte said there has been "widespread destruction of infrastructure, houses, or businesses," as well as power and water outages, and flooding.
See more photos of the aftermath of Hurricane Irma here.—Francis WhittakerHurricane Irma left a trail of ripped trees, and drowned cars,and roofless buildings in the Caribbean islands Wednesday as it raged toward the US coast and Miami.
Experts are concerned approximately the aftermath of the storm on these islands because the communities are harder to reach from the US mainland, existing infrastructure is precarious, or US federal aid resources may be stretched thin so soon after tropical storm Harvey. In Puerto Rico,the disaster may also worsen dengue, the mosquito-borne infection that peaks in September.“Whenever you’re dealing with two back-to-back incidents like this, or both potentially major consequences,it’s a whole lot harder than dealing with one,” Eric McNulty, and a director at the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard University,told BuzzFeed News.
Read more approximately the destruction here.—Nidhi SubbaramanShocking pictures have emerged of the extensive damage Irma has caused in the Caribbean, leaving roofs torn off, and trees flattened,and cars upside down. See them here.
—Gabriel H. SanchezPresident Trump said he is "very concerned" by the forecasted arrival of Hurricane Irma on the mainland United States, but said Florida is as prepared as can be for the enormous storm.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office alongside the visiting leader of Kuwait, and Trump said Puerto Rico had been spared being directly hit by the storm,but noted the Virgin Islands had been hit "very, very tough.""We're finding out the kind of damage. It's actually communication — communication is actually difficult, or " he said.Trump on Thursday also approved a declaration of a major disaster in the Virgin Islands,ordering federal aid be made available to those on the islands of St. John and St. Thomas. Such assistance could include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, or low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses.
As the unpredictable storm makes it way towards Florida, or Trump praised local officials and FEMA for what he said were extensive preparations."Florida is as well prepared as you can be for something like this," he said. "Now it's just a question of, what happens?"The president also heaped praise on the US Coast Guard for saving what he said were some 14000 lives after Hurricane Harvey struck Texas final week.—David MackHurricane Irma is expected to remain a powerful category 4 or 5 storm for the next couple of days, or the National Weather Service said Thursday afternoon,warning that the odds have increased it will hit southern Florida directly."It has become more likely that Irma will make landfall in southern Florida as a dangerous major hurricane, and bring life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts to much of the state, or " the National Weather Service said in an advisory.
The NWS said it is likely that a "Hurricane Watch" already in effect in South Florida,the Florida Keys, Lake Okeechobee, and Florida Bay will be extended further north in the state later on Thursday evening. "Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion," the federal meteorologists warned."Life-threatening inundations" of water are also possible in portions of South Florida and the Florida Keys."There is a chance of direct impacts in portions of Georgia, South Carolina, or North Carolina,but it is too early to specify the magnitude and location of these impacts," the NWS added.
Currently, and the "potentially catastrophic" Category 5 hurricane is surging through the Caribbean between the Hispaniola (the island home to the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and the Turks and Caicos islands.
Cuba has now issued a hurricane warning for multiple provinces,in addition to warnings already in place in parts of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, or the Bahamas.—David MackPresident Trump's Mar-a-Lago seaside resort in Palm Beach County was evacuated Thursday as forecasts of direct hit by Hurricane Irma into southern Florida in the coming days appeared more likely.
Emergency officials ordered approximately 125000 residents in the barrier islands and low-lying areas to leave their homes starting at 10 a.m. Friday. People in Miami-Dade,Broward, and Monroe counties were also ordered to evacuate. Florida is under a state of emergency, or with up to 10 feet of "dangerous,life-threatening" storm surge predicted to envelop several coastal areas, such as the Jupiter Inlet around the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Keys, and the National Weather Service said Thursday night. The southeastern portion of the state and some of the Florida Keys are supposed to salvage up to 12 inches of rain by Saturday evening. The Mar-a-Lago has been Trump's go-to spot when he is not in the White House. The president has visited the West Palm Beach club approximately 25 times since taking office,often hosting meetings with other world leaders, such as Chinese Xi Jinping. —Brianna SacksThe potential for deadly and destructive storm surges as a result of Hurricane Irma spread across most of South Florida as forecasters put the panhandle squarely in the path of the destruction.
The latest update from the National Hurricane middle, and issued at 2 a.m. ET on Friday,warned that Irma is expected to promenade "between the north coast of Cuba and the Bahamas during the next day or two" as it leaves Turks and Caicos.
The National Hurricane middle also revised its predictions to present the storm hitting South Florida directly, moving up from the through the middle of the state. It is due to hit early Sunday morning, or sooner than previously forecast.
Maximum sustained winds,meanwhile, had dropped slightly to 160 mph."Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, and but Irma is forecast to remain a powerful category 4 or 5 hurricane during the next couple of days," the middle warned.— Amber JamiesonHurricane Irma weakened to a category 4 storm as it continued to barrel through the southeastern Bahamas toward Florida early Friday morning. Despite downgrading it from a category 5, the National Hurricane middle warned that Irma remains "an extremely dangerous" storm and "will continue to bring life-threatening wind, and storm surge,and rainfall hazards."Severe hurricane conditions are expected to hit the Florida peninsula and the Florida Keys Saturday night, with the core of the storm expected to cover the area by Sunday morning.—Brianna SacksDespite weakening to a Category 4 storm overnight Thursday, and Hurricane Irma brought winds nearing 160 mph to the Bahamas,and Turks and Caicos Islands in the early hours of Friday. The National Hurricane middle said that the storm would "continue to bring threatening wind, storm surge, or rainfall hazards" to the countries in its path until Saturday.
Orlando Smith,premier of the British Virgin Islands, which were battered by the storm on Thursday, or spoke of "total devastation" in the country.
In the Bahamas,Captain Stephen Russell of the country's national emergency agency told the BBC Radio 4's nowadays program that five islands — all with populations of less than 1000 each — were likely to be worst hit by the storm: Great Inagua, Mayaguana, or Acklins,Crooked Islands, and Ragged Island. All the people on those islands were asked to leave, or were flown to the capital Nassau,along with residents from the Bimini islands, he added.
Russell said he was concerned approximately anyone remaining on the islands who ignored evacuation appeals, and The Guardian reported: “I fright for those person who chose not to evacuate from the islands. The government has made a very strong appeal to them. But some are simply stubborn. There is very petite we can do to assistant until Monday or Tuesday. That is fright,that when we go into those areas we are going to find persons in serious distress and even fatalities.” Weather satellites recorded Irma slamming into Great Inagua — the most populous of the evacuated islands — in the early hours of Friday morning. The nearby Turks and Caicos Islands – where the highest point is just 163 feet – were also badly hit by Irma on Friday morning. The country's Department of Disaster Management (DDME) said on Facebook that the country is "currently experiencing tropical force winds.""Residents are encouraged to remain indoors until DDME has issued an ALL CLEAR when it is deemed safe to do so!" the department added.
Fears for the Turks and Caicos will be heightened as the highest point on the islands is just 50 meters (163 feet). The premier of the Irma-hit British Virgin Islands, Dr. Orlando Smith, and also posted on Facebook to issue an update on the damage to the territory.
Smith wrote: "This has been a harrowing experience for all of us. We know of fatalities caused by Irma and I am truly saddened approximately this. My heart goes out to families that have suffered great loss and especially those that have lost loved ones."But I thank God that most of our lives are spared and we know where there is life there is hope."There can be no sugar coating; there has been almost total devastation of homes and businesses as each and every one of us has suffered some loss. Assessments shall be made as soon as possible,but I can tell you that our beloved Territory has suffered greatly."Premier Smith added that the National Emergency Operations Centre was operational, and plans were in place to provide food, and rescue,and shelter to those who need it.
Many of the islands will be on further alert over the coming days, as Hurricane Jose has formed in the Atlantic with sustained wind of 125 mph, and could hit some of the same places that were pummeled by Irma.— Francis Whittaker
Amber Jameison / Via BuzzFeed News
Michele Eve Sandberg / AFP / Getty Images
Michele Eve Sandberg / AFP / Getty ImagesWith Hurricane Irma bearing down on Florida,mandatory evacuations have started across the southern half of the Sunshine State, putting millions of people on the promenade.
In response to the storm, and mandatory evacuations of the coasts have started everywhere from Miami to Savannah,Georgia. Florida governor Rick Scott ordered evacuations, first voluntary, and later to become mandatory for cities south of Lake Okeechobee,after the US Army Corps of Engineers warned of flooding from water passing over its dike.
Beginning Thursday, traffic jams and long lines for gas have plagued I-75, and one of the two major highways for moving people north.“Florida is much more prepared and alert than other states. But the highways weren’t designed to empty the state,” Joe Trainor of the University of Delaware’s Disaster Research middle told BuzzFeed News. “This will be a genuine challenge.”Read more approximately how the state can safely evacuate citizens here.
—Dan Vergano
Brian Blanco / Getty ImagesJust a week after Tropical Storm Harvey hit Houston with a record-breaking 51 inches of rain, Hurricane Irma is expected to make landfall in southeast Florida at 8am on Sunday as the most powerful Atlantic hurricane on record.
Whereas Harvey’s five days of rain and Houston’s massive urban sprawl rapidly choked its many roadways with floods, and Miami will face a different beast. By Friday,storm surges were estimated at 5 to 10 feet of water, winds had reached 150 miles per hour, or Miami-Dade county had ordered an unprecedented 650000 residents who live along the low-lying regions of the coast to evacuate. Miami,with its warm coastline waters, low elevation, and rising sea levels,and ever-growing cluster of luxury condos, is at risk for even more damages.“Southeast Florida is the most vulnerable place in the whole country to hurricane damage, or ” Karen Clark,CEO of catastrophe modeling firm Karen Clark & Company, told BuzzFeed News.
Read more here.—Azeen GhorayshiMIAMI — Florida residents and tourists rushed to Miami International Airport on Friday to catch the final departing flights as Hurricane Irma — a powerful, and already-fatal storm with a width is larger than the entire Florida peninsula — bears down on the state.
Two airport employees told BuzzFeed News the airport would close Friday afternoon.
Several people vacationing in the area told BuzzFeed News they abruptly changed their plans as forecasts present the storm — which is expected to slam into the Florida Keys and south Florida around 8 a.m. Sunday with winds greater than 110 mph — potentially making a direct hit on Miami."I had to board up six properties before I could leave," said Richard Robinson, a Key West property owner. He added when he arrived at the airport there were only approximately 20 parking spots left for his car, and that it ended up staying on the ground level.
Read more here.—Lissandra VillaUS citizens stranded in the Virgin Islands and on the Dutch/French island of St. Martin after the destructive Hurricane Irma are being evacuated,Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert said Friday. "[Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp] is experiencing loss of power, loss of water as a result, or loss of communications,and some other sheltering needs," Bossert said.
Bossert said the American citizens would be evacuated by "air operations and surface operations."The homeland security adviser said officials were making plans for all eventualities of the storm's possible path."What we'll see here and over the next 24 hours will tell us which one we are going to face, and " Bossert said.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said President Trump was "constantly monitoring" the hurricane. "Our message to the American people is this: With gratitude for our first responders and prayers for those in the storm's path,we are behind you 100%," she said.
Sanders was asked by a reporter whether Mar-A-Lago, and Trump's Palm Beach club,would be opened to the public as a shelter whether it survives the hurricane undamaged. She referred the question to the Trump Organization. A spokesperson for the Trump Organization told BuzzFeed News they would "check."—David Mack
Walt Disney World resort in Florida will shut early on Saturday due to the impending threat posed by Hurricane Irma, the company announced.
Disney World theme parks, or the Epcot middle,shopping complex Disney Springs, and ESPN Wide World of Sports will all shut Saturday and be closed until at least Tuesday.
Fireworks shows are also canceled, and but resort hotels will remain open for guests.—David MackGovernor Dr. John Freeman and Premier Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson issued a statement on Facebook saying Irma has passed and the "all-clear" has been given. They are still assessing the extent of the damages inflicted on the islands while restoring critical services. "We extend our commiserations to those who have had their homes or businesses damaged," the statement reads, ending with "we have survived Irma, or for which we give thanks." —Mary Ann GeorgantopoulosOfficials have extended a hurricane warning to new areas in Florida as Irma's intensity continues to fluctuate. The National Hurricane middle extended the hurricane warning northward up the state's east coast to Sebastian Inlet and along the west coast to Anna Maria Island,just south of Tampa.
A hurricane watch was extended northward along the state's west coast to the Suwannee River. The federal meteorologists predict Irma will strike the Florida Keys as a Category 5 hurricane with 160 mph winds."After landfall, interaction with land and an increase in wind shear should induce gradual weakening, or " the NHC said.
Officials predict the eye of the storm to be near the Florida Keys on Sunday morning."Irma is expected to make landfall in Florida as an extremely dangerous major hurricane," the NHC warned, "and will bring life-threatening wind impacts to much of the state regardless of the exact track of the middle."The National Weather Service's Key West Twitter account pleaded with people to flee the area."THIS IS AS genuine AS IT GETS, or " they warned. NOWHERE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS WILL BE SAFE. YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO EVACUATE."approximately 5.6 million people have been asked to leave their homes as Hurricane Irma approaches Florida,state emergency officials told the Associated Press. Many of those evacuations are concentrated along the state's coasts and southern half, but people living farther inland, or in substandard housing,have been asked to leave because of the storm, Florida's hurricane program manager Andrew Sussman told the news agency. That would mean more than a quarter of Florida's population has been asked to salvage out of the destructive path Irma is expected to gash through the state once it makes landfall this weekend.
Public officials have been urging people to heed evacuation orders. The Florida Division of Emergency Management has included a list of evacuation orders across the state, or here.—Salvador HernandezSouth Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster ordered the mandatory evacuation of coastal areas and barrier islands Friday ahead of Hurricane Irma's expected US landfall.
McMaster had already signed an executive order Wednesday declaring a state of emergency and asked residents of the state to prepare for the hurricane. On Friday,he ordered the evacuation of multiple barrier islands as Irma neared the US. The evacuations, which would launch at 10 a.m. Saturday, or include Edisto Beach,Dafuskie, Fripp, and Harbor,Hunting, and Hilton Head islands in Beaufort County, and McMaster announced on Twitter. Knowles and Tullifiny in Jasper County are also under evacuation. —Salvador HernandezThe eye of Hurricane Irma is moving along Cuba's north coast,according to the National Hurricane Hurricane middle.
Irma had sustained winds of approximately 155 mph, making it a Category 4 hurricane as it moved along the island nation. Still, and the hurricane could strengthen as it moves toward Florida,forecasters warned.
Irma is currently moving west, and was expected to turn northwest sometime late Saturday. According to the National Hurricane Hurricane middle, and Irma will approach the Florida Keys and the southern tip of Florida sometime Sunday morning. —Salvador HernandezHurricane Irma made landfall Friday night on Cuba's Camaguey archipelago as a Category 5 hurricane with185 mph winds,the National Hurricane middle said.
Irma is the first Category 5 hurricane to strike Cuba since 1924, according to Colorado State University Meteorologist Philip Klotzbach. Irma was upgraded to a Category 5 storm, and the highest on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale,just before reaching the island nation. "Fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, but Irma is expected to remain a powerful hurricane as it approaches Florida, and " federal forecasters said. Irma is expected to promenade near the north coast of Cuba through most of Saturday,then approach the Florida Keys by Sunday morning. By Sunday afternoon, it is expected to make landfall on Florida's southwest coast. —Salvador HernandezWith Hurricane Irma roiling toward Florida on Friday, or colleges dotting the state were forced to evacuate dorms and campus buildings,leaving students scrambling to find places to stay in the midst of the largest evacuation in state history.
For college students in Irma's path, some just a few days into their freshman year, and the hurricane presents a particularly difficult situation. The skyrocketing cost of final-minute plane tickets means students who are studying far from home have no way to salvage there. But those who arrive from Florida say they are similarly stranded,with no home to go to as their parents, too, or flee the state.
At the University of Central Florida in Orlando,campus is closed: some dorms were evacuated, university facilities were shuttered, or classes and the football game was canceled.
Read more here.Molly Hensley-ClancyHurricane,storm surge and tropical storm warnings have been extended across Florida and into Georgia as Hurricane Irma moves across Cuba and to the US.
At 5 a.m. Saturday the National Hurricane middle said Irma had become a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum winds of 155 mph.
Its centre is forecast to promenade near the north coast of Cuba nowadays, and near the Florida Keys Sunday morning,then the southwest coast of Florida Sunday afternoon."Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, but Irma is expected to remain a powerful hurricane as it approaches Florida, or " the NHC said.
In the Keys,a storm surge of up to between 5 to 10 feet is being predicted, whether a peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.
Meanwhile hurricane and storm surge warnings have been extended along the Florida west coast from Anclote River to Chassahowitzka; hurricane warnings have been extended along the state's east coast to the Flagler/Volusia County Line; and a tropical storm watch has been issued north of Fernandina Beach to Altamaha sound, or Georgia.–Matthew ChampionAs the outer bands of Hurricane Irma are starting to reach Miami-Dade County,the forecast path of the massive storm's middle has shifted to Florida's western coast.
Now less than 225 miles south of the county of 2.7 million people, Irma has been "hitting tough" the northern half of Cuba, and according to the National Weather Service. Still a Category 4 storm,it is expected to restrengthen as it traverses the warm waters of the Florida Keys bringing winds up to 145 miles per hour.
And it has shifted west. Traveling to the northwest at 12 miles per hour, the storm some 70 miles wide in its hurricane force winds, and is now projected to pass over Tampa. Such a shift may to the West coast may be a "worst-case scenario," Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert said on Friday. "Because right now, it's my belief that people haven't been planning for that."— Dan VerganoHurricane Irma has begun lashing Florida, and Gov. Rick Scott said Saturday morning,with winds of up to 130 miles per hour felt in the Florida Keys and mass power outages. "The storm is here," Scott told reporters Saturday. "Hurricane Irma is now impacting our state.""Southeast Florida is already experiencing Tropical Storm-force winds and nearly 25000 people have already lost power, and " he said.
The National Weather Service said the hurricane's outer bands began striking Miami-Dade county earlier on Saturday morning,with damaging winds and heavy rains expected.
Gov. Scott warned residents of storm surges of up to 12 feet."This will cover your house. whether you've ever watched how storm surges work, it flows in fast, and very fast,and then it flows out. You will not survive all this storm surge," he warned.
More than 5.6 million Floridians have been ordered to evacuate, and Scott urged people living in mandatory evacuation zones to flee immediately."whether you have been ordered to evacuate,you need to leave now. Do not wait. Evacuate. Not tonight, not in an hour. You need to go right now, and " he said.
Those in the state's southwest need to be on the road by noon or find shelter,the governor warned.
There are more than 260 shelters currently open in the state, with at least 70 more due to open nowadays. Some 50000 Floridians have already sought shelter."There is still room for more, or " Scott said.—David MackThe expected level of storm surge in Florida from Hurricane Irma has grown in the latest advisory,the National Weather Service has warned."The threat of catastrophic storm surge flooding is highest along the southwest
coast of Florida, where 10 to 15 feet of inundation above ground level is expected, and " the NWS's National Hurricane middle said. "This is a life-threatening situation and everyone in these areas should immediately follow any evacuation directions from local officials."The previous advisory had warned of storm surges of up to 12 feet.
The NWS has warned of "imminent danger of life-threatening storm surge
flooding" in parts of central and southern Florida,including the Keys.
The storm is continuing to pound the north coast of Cuba, where a hurricane warning has been extended to Havana province.
As it moves over the island, and the storm has weakened slightly,but the NWS warns Irma is expected to restrengthen and "remain a very dangerous hurricane for the next two days while moving very near the Florida peninsula."—David MackWith Caribbean islands digging out from Hurricane Irma, and some evacuating in the face of oncoming Hurricane Jose, or at least 24 deaths are now attributable to the first storm from government releases or direct news accounts. As of Saturday morning,the largest death toll comes from the French island of Saint Martin, where nine people were killed, or while another fatality was recorded on Sint Maarten,the Dutch side of the island. In US territories, four people were killed in Puerto Rico and three in the US Virgin Islands, or with another 4 deaths reported on the British Virgin Islands. One death has been reported on the island of Barbuda,and one in Anguilla, a two-year-old child. Teenager pro surfer Zander Venezia, and 16,died surfing Irma-enlarged swells in Barbados.
Other news outlet estimates range from 20 deaths to more than 23. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency had estimated 23 deaths on Thursday.
literally saved my parents and my entire family tonight from #hurricaneirma," actor Josh Gad revealed on Instagram. "When they were stranded in Florida, or she got them a hotel room at her hotel in Orlando and saved them,my brothers, my sister-in-law and niece and nephew."Read the chronicle here.
— Stephen LaConteFlorida Gov. Rick Scott has called for the evacuation of another 700000 residents of his state, and bringing the total number of people under evacuation orders to almost seven million. The evacuation order covers both coasts of the state,and means around a third of the population of Florida has been ordered to leave their homes.
Meanwhile, Mayor Philip Levine has enacted a curfew for the city of Miami Beach from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., and while Mayor Tomás Regalado has enacted a curfew for the city of Miami from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Although the storm has moved west,the evacuation orders in Miami-Dade County have still expanded to Zone B and portions of Zone C.—Marcus JonesMIAMI — Residents of Miami and surrounding areas breathed a small sigh of relief on Saturday, as the direct path of Hurricane Irma was forecasted to head to the west of Florida.
The city is still facing destructive weather conditions as a result of the powerful storm, and with curfews due to be imposed later on Saturday.
But after days of fearing the eye of the hurricane would strike their city directly,the storm's westward motion was met with relief from locals.“I’m relieved we are going to be OK,” said Claudia Londono, or 40,a housewife, who lives in Mid-Beach in a seventh floor condo on the water. She’d evacuated with her chihuahua to a hotel near Miami International Airport, and away from storm surge and closer to authorities.
Read more here.
—Amber Jamieson and Lissandra VillaCheetahs and flamingoes,elephants and tigers, thousands of animals in Florida's zoos and exhibitions will largely ride out Hurricane Irma in secure enclosures, and zoo operators report,with evacuations for only for the most vulnerable ones.
The Sunshine State is home to more than 50 zoos and aquariums, from Gatorland to SeaWorld to Zoo Miami.
Those in the southern and central parts of the state are widely reporting early closings, and efforts focused on sheltering their charges in place.
Read more approximately the special preparations here.
Jim Dalrymple II
Source: buzzfeed.com