63 die in Mexico double disaster
THREE deadly hurricanes sweep across the Caribbean in a spectacular satellite image released by Nasa.
In the centre, a re-energised Hurricane Irma is seen smashing into Cuba, defying experts’ predictions that the island would not take a direct hit.
On the left is Hurricane Katia, which blasted Mexico as the country dealt with a massive earthquake. And to the right is Hurricane Jose, which was expected to cause further devastation.
Irma, which has already left a trail of destruction, left hundreds of British tourists stranded.anded.
And the storm, upgraded back to o a category five hurricane, is today set to hit Florida.
More than 5.6 million peoplee were ordered to leave their homes in the biggest evacuation the US has ever seen.
Dennis Feltgen, of America’s National Hurricane Centre, said: “This is a stormorm that will kill you if you don’t get out of the he way.”
Irma made landfall at Cuba’s Camagueyaguey Archipelago on Friday night. The 155mph blast was so violent it destroyeded the instrument used to measure windd strength. Even before hitting Cuba, a, Irma proved catastrophic, killing 24 people across the Caribbean. One British family were lucky to survive as the eye of the storm hit their home on Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Marina manager Brendan Joyce, e, 44, originally from Glasgow, and wifeife Sasha, 34, lay on top of children Keiran, iran, four, and Aiden, two, to protect them. m. Only the room they sheltered in survived. Brendan’s sister Frances said: “He phoned me in tears and said, ‘We’re alive, there’s nothing else’. It’s amazing t they are alive.” As the R Royal Navy arrived to bring aid, the islands’islan governor, Gus Jaspert, said he was “heartbroken” by “reports of casua casualties and fatalities”. X Factor hopeful Deanna Mu Mussington, 22, was also caught up in the storm after Irma struck h her home island of Anguilla. D Deanna, who performs a Whitney Houston song on tonight’s show, said: “My friends and family are safe, but we all are distraught and displaced by the disaster.” Antigua, Barbuda a and Saint Martin were also badly affected. Some of those stuck in Cuba accused tour operators of not doing enough as other nationa alities were flown to safety.
Joe Farrar, on holiday in V Varadero with girlfriend Helen, was me meant to leave on Friday – until Thoma Thomas Cook delayed his flight. He said: “We’ve been left in limbo.” Catherine Keith, 26, with her parents in Orlando, also blasted the firm.
The Millies Cookies worker, of Aberdeen, said: “They refused to put on extra or emergency flights.”
Yesterday strong winds and dark cloud swept into Miami and the rest of Florida’s southern coast as hurricane conditions were expected last night.
On Friday the storm was downgraded to category four before being pushed back up to category five.
Weather experts said it would fluctuate between the two categories before weakening as it headed up Florida to the Carolinas and Georgia.
Those on Caribbean islands braced for a second battering from Hurricane Jose yesterday were told it has weakened slightly. But forecasters warned it was still a “dangerous” category four hurricane. AT least 63 people died after Mexico was hit by Hurricane Katia AND one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded there. Three days of national mourning were declared with the death toll expected to rise.
The 8.1 magnitude quake off the southern Pacific coast toppled hundreds of buildings in several states and left thousands more uninhabitable.
Two of the deaths came yesterday in Xalapa, capital of Veracruz state, when a mudslide caused by Katia’s rains swamped a couple in their home.