Florida orders evacuations as growing Hurricane Michael looms

MIAMI: Residents of northwest Florida had until early yesterday to leave their homes ahead of Hurricane Michael, forecast to crash ashore midweek as a major Category 3 storm with “lifethreatening” flash flooding possible.

Governor Rick Scott’s office said mandatory evacuation orders were in place for parts of Bay County, which includes the popular Panama City beach resort, and areas in nearby Gulf and Franklin counties.

“Every family must be prepared. We can rebuild your home, but we cannot rebuild your life,” Scott said.

The alert came after the tropical storm system strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds late Monday of 140kph, the Miamibased National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

By 7pm Monday, Hurricane Michael was off the western tip of Cuba’s Pinar del Rio province, heading north at 19kph, across from Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula.

The hurricane was forecast to push through warm, relatively shallow Gulf of Mexico waters before moving inland over the northern Gulf coast of Florida.

Michael was forecast to have the power to uproot trees, block roads and stop power for days by the time it hits Florida on Wednesday.

It is then forecast to lash the southeastern United States through out tomorrow.

“Steady to rapid strengthening is forecast during the next day or so, and Michael is forecast to become a major hurricane tonight,” the NHC said yesterday.

Earlier it said Michael could produce three lifethreatening hazards along portions of the northeastern Gulf Coast: storm surge, heavy rainfall, and hurricaneforce winds, with storm surge and hurricane watches in effect.

Rains from Michael already started to soak the Florida Keys on Monday, with up to 10cm expected to fall through the next day.

Late Monday, residents of far western Cuba were forecast to get up to eight inches of rain.

“This rainfall could lead to lifethreatening flash floods and mudslides,” the NHC warned.

President Donald Trump, in Orlando delivering an address to a global association of police chiefs, said the federal government was ready and urged residents to be prepared for the worst.