Irma lashes Florida from coast to coast

HURRICANE Irma has pummelled Florida, packing windsupto130mph,swamping homes and knocking out power to millions.

The 400 mile-wide storm blew ashore in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then tracked up its western coast, the hurricane’s punishing winds extending clear across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side.

Irma’s core was nearing the heavily populated Tampa and St Petersburg area today, moving inland in a much-weakened state.

While it arrived in Florida a Category 4 hurricane, by nightfall it was down to Category 2, with winds of 100mph.

Meanwhile, more than 160,000 people waited in shelters statewide as Irma headed up the coast.

Bryan Koon, Florida’s emergency management director, said authorities had only scattered information about the storm’s toll, but he remained hopeful.

“I’ve not heard of catastrophic damage. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. It means it hasn’t reached us yet,” he said.

In the low-lying Keys, where a storm surge of more than 10ft was recorded, appliances and furniture were seen floating away and Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark said the ocean was filled with navigation hazards, including sunken boats.

County administrator Roman Gastesi said crews would begin house-to-house searches to check on survivors and a relief mission led by C-130 cargo planes was gearing up to bring emergency supplies to the Keys.

Storm surge was a big concern, with a federal tide gauge in Naples reporting a 7ft rise in water levels in just 90 minutes late yesterday. Many streets were flooded in central Miami and other cities.

An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast, and flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Florida’s midsection.

Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.

Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting trainers and other items from a sports store and a pawn shop during the hurricane.

More than 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility chiefs said it would take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.

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Hurricane Irma