At current speeds, Irma is expected to land in South Florida tomorrow. With wind speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour, Irma is even stronger than the legendary hurricane “Andrew”, which swept through Florida in 1992. “Irma” is bigger than Texas and gets new energy from the extremely warm water of the Caribbean.
With the destruction in the Caribbean in mind, more and more local authorities in southern Florida have called on the population to get to safety. Director of the National Meteorological Agency, Louis Uccellini, urges residents to comply with evacuation calls:
“This is a storm the size of Andrew, with an even bigger storm surge. It’s a very destructive force. You have to be careful and definitely follow the evacuation instructions.”
Miami is in the worst possible situation
Drinking water is no longer available in many supermarkets and there are long queues in front of petrol stations. An hour’s wait at gas stations in Miami is now normal, according to CNN reporter Miguel Marquez. Petrol is becoming scarce in many places. The police are now escorting tanker trucks to the gas stations to ensure supplies.
Two nuclear power plants in Florida have been shut down. Florida is regarding 200 kilometers wide – just like the center of Hurricane “Irma”. The closer the storm approaches, the more concern grows that “Irma” might hit the metropolis of Miami directly, according to meteorologist Tom Sater. According to the latest calculations, Miami is in the worst possible situation.
“Don’t think you can ride out this storm”
After “Harvey” claimed 60 lives and caused up to $180 billion in damage, Florida Gov. Rick Scott expects similar, if not greater, damage:
“This is the worst storm we have ever faced. It will have life-threatening effects across our state. Don’t think you can just sit out this storm. You can rebuild your home. But not your life or your family’s.
Anyone who refuses to be evacuated cannot count on help
Scott urged citizens to obey evacuation orders. In Key West, at the very tip of the Florida Keys, the streets are already deserted. The police and emergency services will soon leave the place popular with tourists. According to the local authorities, those who remain cannot count on help and are on their own.
“Irma”, the hurricane with the highest category five, is already followed by the next storm. The tropical storm “José” has already reached category three and has so far followed exactly the path of “Irma” through the Caribbean, according to the meteorologists.
