Hurricane Irma’s storm surge threatens 3m
THE cities of Naples and Tampa in Florida were last night braced for the full force of Hurricane Irma and the potentially deadly consequences of a monster storm surge.
Irma roared into Florida with 130mph winds last night for what could be a sustained assault on nearly the entire Sunshine State, flooding streets, knocking out power to more than 1.5 million homes and businesses and snapping massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline.
The nearly 400-mile-wide storm was last night expected to make a slow, ruinous march up the state’s west coast, hitting the heavily populated Tampa-st. Petersburg area by this morning.
The area, with a population of about 3million, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921. Up to 15 feet of rising waters threatened to swallow the coastal area. Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn said: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face. Well, we’re about to get punched in the face.”
And the National Hurricane Centre issued an ominous warning: “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. This is a life-threatening situation.”
The storm has already claimed the lives of at least 25 people in the Caribbean.
HURRICANE Irma smashed into the US mainland yesterday, bringing with it 135mph winds that killed several people, flooded parts of downtown Miami, and left an estimated 1.5million people in Florida without power.
The mammoth storm barrelled its way into the Florida Keys at breakfast time, ripping roofs off trailers, flattening palm trees and hurling road signs through the air, after leaving a trail of devastation in the Caribbean where at least 25 people died.
Rick Scott, Florida’s Governor, said: “People ask what they can do for us. Pray for us. We need volunteers, nurses. I hope everybody will pray for us. We can pray, that’s the biggest thing we can do.”
President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, returned to the White House from Camp David late in the afternoon. “I’ll be going to Florida very soon,” he told reporters. When asked about the cost of the disaster, Mr Trump replied: “Right now, we’re worried about lives, not cost.”
As the storm ripped through Miami, waist-deep water surged through streets at least three blocks from the shore. Roads in the downtown area were turned into rivers as water raced between office buildings and blocks of flats, while street signs swung crazily.
Two giant cranes collapsed and one was left dangling perilously over a partially constructed high-rise building. Miami’s deputy fire chief, Joseph Zahralban, said people in nearby structures should move somewhere safe but there was nothing else emergency services could do.
He said: “The weather has deteriorated to the point where we’re not comfortable even sending anybody out to even evaluate the situation. So our only concern right now is the protection of life, not property.”
The cranes were among more than 20 in Miami that were unable to be dismantled in time and there were fears others could come crashing down.
One woman in Miami had to deliver her own baby girl during the storm as emergency services were unable to reach her. A fire service spokesman said: “We weren’t able to respond. Dispatch told her how to do it and she’s stable at home.”
Among at least three people reported dead as Irma hit was sheriff ’s deputy Julie Bridges, who died alongside another person in a car crash about 60 miles from Sarasota.
In a separate accident, a man lost control of a truck in strong winds in Key West.
In Fort Lauderdale, there were nine arrests as looters broke into abandoned stores in the city.
Police Chief Rick Maglione said in a statement: “Going to prison over a pair of sneakers is a fairly bad life choice. Stay home and look after your loved ones and be thankful they are all safe.”
Irma made landfall in Florida on Sunday morning at Cudjoe Key with sustained winds of 130mph, the National Hurricane Centre said. It was expected to bring up to 25 inches of rain in some parts of the Keys. Some 6.4 million Floridians had been ordered to evacuate – more than a quarter of Florida’s population – amid warnings they would be “on their own” if they stayed.
Of those who stayed, 100,000 were in shelters, but some chose to remain in their own homes. Explaining why he stayed in Key West, Jason Jonas said: “We’re 30 plus feet above sea level and in a place that’s built to withstand 225mph winds. That’s a better chance than being exposed out on the highway in traffic trying to make it to Georgia.”
By last night, Irma had left the Keys behind and had begun its 8mph crawl up the west coast of Florida, battering the heavily populated cities of Naples and Tampa. In Naples, a federal tide gauge reported a 7 foot rise of water in just 90 minutes. The greatest fear for those areas remained the potential for a terrifying 15ft storm surge that could travel 10 miles inland taking out everything in its path. There were complaints from some that the last-minute change of direction of the centre of the storm away from Miami in the east, meant few preparations had been made.
Jeff Beerbohm, 52, an entrepreneur in Tampa, said: “As usual, the weathermen, I don’t know why they’re paid. For five days, we were told it was going to be on the east coast, and then 24 hours before it hits, we’re now told it’s coming up the west coast.”
Tampa had not been hit by a major hurricane since 1921, when it had a population of just 10,000.
Now, it is home to three million and its retirement homes, canals lined with yachts, and shell-filled beaches were under threat. Bob Buckhorn, the Mayor of Tampa, said: “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face. Well, we’re about to get punched in the face. We are about to find out what hell looks like.”
Authorities in Fort Lauderdale extended an overnight curfew through the day as winds bent palm trees almost horizontal.
At the Crossland Hotel, guests hunkered down behind stormproof windows amid pounding rain. Throughout the night residents’ phones buzzed with tornado warnings from the National Weather Centre.
There were particular concerns about Florida’s elderly and retired population. The state has more than 1.6million people over the age of 75, half of whom are disabled, and many were unable to evacuate.
At a sports arena that had been turned into a shelter for 5,000 people in Estero, Jack Shively, 85, and his wife Mary Jo, 78, clutched their shaggy white dog Chrissy, in the bleachers.
The couple said they had been turned away from three other shelters at schools because they were full.
Mr Shively said: “We’ve been all over Florida today, seeking shelter.” His wife said: “I don’t think I can sit here all night, but I guess I’ll have to.”
Eileen Jirak, 83, said she was leaving the shelter and heading home despite the dire warnings. She said: “It’s like hell in there and people keep coming. At home, at least I won’t go out of my mind sitting up in those bleachers.” Eileen Car, 74, added: “This is a disaster. I’ll never do this again. I’d rather drown.”
Meanwhile, Rick Scott, the Florida governor, said he had spoken to President Donald Trump who was praying for Florida. Mr Scott said: “He said he would be praying for us.
“Everything I’ve asked out of the federal government, he’s made sure he gave us. We’re going to need a lot of help. We’re a tough state. We’re going to come through this.”
Mr Trump, who was monitoring the storm from Camp David as it arrived, added: “Brave people are ready. Here comes Irma. God bless everyone!”
Yesterday evening, Irma was downgraded to a category three storm but water levels are expected to rise rapidly as the dangerous storm surge begins along Florida’s west coast.
At least 25 people had already been confirmed killed by Irma on its destructive march through the Caribbean, with the island of Barbuda being reduced to rubble and looting breaking out on St Martin.
Before arriving in Florida, Irma was the first Category five hurricane to hit Cuba since 1924. President Raúl Castro said Cuba’s power grid was seriously damaged and there was unprecedented flooding in parts of Havana.
Cubans were yesterday surveying the damage. Roofs were ripped off and trees pulled from the ground.
Meanwhile Hurricane Jose was predicted to weaken as it pulled away from the Caribbean yesterday. It had been on course to hit Barbuda and St Martin, already devastated by Irma. But it changed path and the islands avoided its full fury.