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Hurricane Irma: 180mph winds batter Caribbean as death roll rises – latest news Hurricane Irma: 180mph winds batter Caribbean as death toll rises – latest news
(35 minutes later)
9.16pm BST
21:16
Eric Blake, a National Hurricane Center scientist, has described Irma in stark, dire terms, urging people to listen to emergency managers and do everything possible to protect themselves and loved ones.
“This hurricane is as serious as any I have seen. No hype, just the hard facts. Take every life saving precaution you can,” Blake tweeted. “I have little doubt #Irma will go down as one of the most infamous in Atlantic hurricane history.”
“Trust the NHC professionals for the best possible forecast. Protect you and your loved ones. I hope I have a house to return to. I know it sounds dire. But a Category 4/5 into South Florida is one of those scenarios that sends chills.”
#Irma has me sick to my stomach. Need to be very lucky for it to miss Florida now. Prepare & follow advice of your local emergency manager. pic.twitter.com/Pk0QJTVhaB
9.05pm BST
21:05
In Samana, in the eastern Dominican Republic, the United Nations Development Programme is among the international effort to send experts to help recovery.
Alejandro Adames, a photographer with the organization, has sent along photos of some of the destruction: structures sliding into the sea, a road with a cavernous space eroded beneath it, downed wires and trees. Irma is moving north of Hispanolia, on course between the island and the British territories of Turks and Caicos, heading toward the southern Bahamas.
Beth Carroll, a coordinator with the Catholic Relief Services, is in Haiti on the other side of the island, which has suffered raking winds from the titanic hurricane. “Poor drainage in the low-lying northern coastal areas mean that even a small amount of rain can cause extensive flooding,” she said. “The rain and winds expected from Irma, which promises to be a monster of a storm, will potentially cause catastrophic flooding and landslides. That’s why we are so concerned now.”
8.51pm BST
20:51
Florida governor Rick Scott has stressed time and again the frustrating, dangerous unpredictability of hurricanes, noting that a sudden swerve remains entirely possible and could either spare the state or exacerbate a collision. The Washington Post has compiled a list of some possible courses – with many caveats – excerpted here:
Scathing winds but landfall averted: “In this scenario, Miami would be spared the dangerous right-hand side of the storm. Hurricanes are most dangerous to the right of their center, since their rotating winds couple with the storm’s forward motion, making the gusts inside that much stronger.If the center tracks just offshore, Miami would would still contend with serious storm conditions with winds sustained between 55-75mph and gusts to 90, along with 4 to 7 inches of rain. This would occur in the Saturday-Sunday timeframe.While the storm’s the western eyewall would pass just offshore of Miami in this scenario, storms of Irma’s intensity are subject to “trochoidal wobbles.” Think of a hurricane like a spinning top; because the top rotates so quickly, it way jog left or right a little bit as it treks along while rotating furiously. Irma is the same way. A wobble of just a few miles west or east as she passes Miami could thrust the city into extreme danger, so this is a high-stakes forecast.”
Landfall near Miami: “Some models turn the hurricane northward late enough that it cannot avoid slamming into Southeast Florida. In this scenario, the system may make landfall in Southern Florida as a major hurricane of at least Category 4 strength. A large-scale disaster would likely result.Major population centers, like Miami, would be exposed to the destructive winds of the hurricane eyewall, in which gusts may exceed 140mph. A catastrophic storm surge would sweep ashore, while devastating inland flooding would result from excessive rainfall.”
Northward through Florida: “In this scenario, Irma would move ashore somewhere between the Keys and Miami. All of Florida would see wind and rain, but the heaviest would be relegated to areas south of Route 75, including the Everglades, Homestead, and Key Biscayne.The worst conditions would sweep ashore to the right side of the eye, exposing the Miami metro area to extreme hurricane-force winds, a surge of at least several feet, and torrential downpours.”
A veer west: “A few model outliers hang on to the possibility that the storm rides up the west coast of Florida, then Key West, Naples, Fort Myers, Tampa, and Tallahassee would face the brunt of the storm – similar to Scenario 2 for southeast and eastern Florida. The most destructive winds and devastating storm surge would occur in Southwest Florida, assuming that’s where the center first came ashore.”
8.35pm BST8.35pm BST
20:3520:35
Florida governor: 'storm surges could cover your house'Florida governor: 'storm surges could cover your house'
Florida governor Rick Scott has again urged people up and down his state to prepare for worst case scenarios of the hurricane.Florida governor Rick Scott has again urged people up and down his state to prepare for worst case scenarios of the hurricane.
He notes that Floridians can go to JaxReady.com for more information, or the state’s Department of Emergency Management. If people are in need of hotels, he says Expedia is offering Florida-specific service, that JetBlue has capped flights out of Florida at $99, and that the app GasBuddy can help guide residents toward fuel. He again urges people to know their evacuation zone, and to act immediately if they are in a mandatory area.He notes that Floridians can go to JaxReady.com for more information, or the state’s Department of Emergency Management. If people are in need of hotels, he says Expedia is offering Florida-specific service, that JetBlue has capped flights out of Florida at $99, and that the app GasBuddy can help guide residents toward fuel. He again urges people to know their evacuation zone, and to act immediately if they are in a mandatory area.
Another official warns that if the storm stays on its current path, mandatory evacuation zones will expand, and more people will need to head north or to inland shelters. Scott says that the extraordinarily powerful winds of the storm mean it will not likely deluge Florida, like hurricane Harvey did to Texas. But it willAnother official warns that if the storm stays on its current path, mandatory evacuation zones will expand, and more people will need to head north or to inland shelters. Scott says that the extraordinarily powerful winds of the storm mean it will not likely deluge Florida, like hurricane Harvey did to Texas. But it will
“My biggest concern right now is that people are not taking seriously enough the risk of storm surge,” Scott says. “A storm surge, we could have five to 10 feet of storm surge, it could cover your house.”“My biggest concern right now is that people are not taking seriously enough the risk of storm surge,” Scott says. “A storm surge, we could have five to 10 feet of storm surge, it could cover your house.”
He also reiterates a warning about the unpredictable nature of the storm, that it could move east or west at a surprising moment: “this storm has the potential to catastrophically devastate our state, and you have to take this seriously.”He also reiterates a warning about the unpredictable nature of the storm, that it could move east or west at a surprising moment: “this storm has the potential to catastrophically devastate our state, and you have to take this seriously.”
“It’s already killed a lot of people in the Caribbean, don’t think you can ride out this storm,” Scott says. “I cannot stress this enough: get prepared now.”“It’s already killed a lot of people in the Caribbean, don’t think you can ride out this storm,” Scott says. “I cannot stress this enough: get prepared now.”
Finally, Scott pleads for more volunteers to help with shelters, food distribution, and other response efforts, saying the state needs 17,000 people in all to help. Volunteers can call 1.800.FLHELP1, he says.Finally, Scott pleads for more volunteers to help with shelters, food distribution, and other response efforts, saying the state needs 17,000 people in all to help. Volunteers can call 1.800.FLHELP1, he says.
UpdatedUpdated
at 8.38pm BSTat 8.38pm BST
8.22pm BST8.22pm BST
20:2220:22
Florida senator Marco Rubio has urged residents to act now, in the final hours before Irma makes landfall on the American mainland, most likely on the southern coast of his state. Governor Rick Scott is giving an afternoon press conference with the latest information on preparations, which we’ll have updates from shortly.Florida senator Marco Rubio has urged residents to act now, in the final hours before Irma makes landfall on the American mainland, most likely on the southern coast of his state. Governor Rick Scott is giving an afternoon press conference with the latest information on preparations, which we’ll have updates from shortly.
We have less than 16 hours of safe daylight to finish our prep. My shutters going up right now, you should too. #Sayfie 2/3We have less than 16 hours of safe daylight to finish our prep. My shutters going up right now, you should too. #Sayfie 2/3
8.11pm BST8.11pm BST
20:1120:11
Miami-Dade expands evacuation zonesMiami-Dade expands evacuation zones
Carlos Gimenez, the mayor of Miami-Dade, has expanded evacuation orders to more coastal and increasingly inland regions.Carlos Gimenez, the mayor of Miami-Dade, has expanded evacuation orders to more coastal and increasingly inland regions.
The county had already ordered evacuations in Miami Beach and other barrier islands (Zone A and parts of Zone B); Gimenez has now ordered evacuations for Miami’s main financial and downtown condo districts (the rest of Zone B) and inland districts like South Miami and Coral Gables (Zone C). The orders affect more than 500,000 people.The county had already ordered evacuations in Miami Beach and other barrier islands (Zone A and parts of Zone B); Gimenez has now ordered evacuations for Miami’s main financial and downtown condo districts (the rest of Zone B) and inland districts like South Miami and Coral Gables (Zone C). The orders affect more than 500,000 people.
The Miami Herald has more details on the orders, and Gimenez has urged residents to look at MiamiDade.gov for more information.The Miami Herald has more details on the orders, and Gimenez has urged residents to look at MiamiDade.gov for more information.
Evacuation order in effect for Zones A, B and parts of C. Visit https://t.co/dqaqdgaXtF for additional information. pic.twitter.com/pL7B12OKuAEvacuation order in effect for Zones A, B and parts of C. Visit https://t.co/dqaqdgaXtF for additional information. pic.twitter.com/pL7B12OKuA
7.54pm BST7.54pm BST
19:5419:54
As hurricane Irma barrels through the Caribbean on its course toward the mainland United States, people who have survived its passage or are still preparing for it have captured stunning, surreal images of the storm: boats stacked atop each other in the Virgin Islands, swelling turbid floods in Puerto Rico, Mustangs driving off to homemade barricades in Florida.As hurricane Irma barrels through the Caribbean on its course toward the mainland United States, people who have survived its passage or are still preparing for it have captured stunning, surreal images of the storm: boats stacked atop each other in the Virgin Islands, swelling turbid floods in Puerto Rico, Mustangs driving off to homemade barricades in Florida.
En el fuerte del pueblo de Arecibo. @adamonzon @DeborahWAPA pic.twitter.com/Qo5wCsgiuTEn el fuerte del pueblo de Arecibo. @adamonzon @DeborahWAPA pic.twitter.com/Qo5wCsgiuT
This is so Miami. Bright yellow mustang on causeway. Plywood on roof. Holding it with one hand, driving with the other #HurricaineIrma pic.twitter.com/kcjBHgyBNuThis is so Miami. Bright yellow mustang on causeway. Plywood on roof. Holding it with one hand, driving with the other #HurricaineIrma pic.twitter.com/kcjBHgyBNu
7.39pm BST7.39pm BST
19:3919:39
Donald Trump has declared a disaster for the US Virgin Islands, according to Thomas Bossert, a national security adviser to the president, and the UK has sent a military task for to its adjacent territories along with millions of poundsDonald Trump has declared a disaster for the US Virgin Islands, according to Thomas Bossert, a national security adviser to the president, and the UK has sent a military task for to its adjacent territories along with millions of pounds
@POTUS declares Major Disaster in #USVI @GovernorMapp & declares Emergency in #SC @henrymcmaster #HurricaneIrma Listen to local officials.@POTUS declares Major Disaster in #USVI @GovernorMapp & declares Emergency in #SC @henrymcmaster #HurricaneIrma Listen to local officials.
Britain has released £32m in emergency aid for its territories, as well as the ship HMS Ocean, carrying at least three helicopters, and hundreds of marines and royal engineers who will be sent in RAF transport planes. The trip ship will take 10 days to two weeks to reach the islands from the Mediterranean.Britain has released £32m in emergency aid for its territories, as well as the ship HMS Ocean, carrying at least three helicopters, and hundreds of marines and royal engineers who will be sent in RAF transport planes. The trip ship will take 10 days to two weeks to reach the islands from the Mediterranean.
The Guardian’s Patrick Wintour reports:The Guardian’s Patrick Wintour reports:
The increased resources, and military hardware, came after an overnight assessment sent to the cabinet emergency committee Cobra concluded the devastation on the British overseas territories of Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands was worse than feared. Aid was increased from a planned £12m to £32m after Cobra met.The increased resources, and military hardware, came after an overnight assessment sent to the cabinet emergency committee Cobra concluded the devastation on the British overseas territories of Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands was worse than feared. Aid was increased from a planned £12m to £32m after Cobra met.
At least one person has been confirmed dead in Anguilla and there are concerns that another British overseas territory – the low-lying Turks and Caicos Islands – is in the line of the storm and likely to be battered. Evacuations have begun and tropical-force rains were expected to begin on Thursday afternoon local time.At least one person has been confirmed dead in Anguilla and there are concerns that another British overseas territory – the low-lying Turks and Caicos Islands – is in the line of the storm and likely to be battered. Evacuations have begun and tropical-force rains were expected to begin on Thursday afternoon local time.
7.23pm BST7.23pm BST
19:2319:23
Philip Levine, the mayor of Miami Beach, has told CNN that Irma is “a nuclear hurricane” and that all residents and visitors to the area should leave.Philip Levine, the mayor of Miami Beach, has told CNN that Irma is “a nuclear hurricane” and that all residents and visitors to the area should leave.
“This is a very serious, incredibly powerful storm. I call it a nuclear hurricane,” Levine said. “I recommend and strongly urge all our residents and visitors to leave Miami Beach. I’m aggressively going out there telling everyone get out of Miami Beach.”“This is a very serious, incredibly powerful storm. I call it a nuclear hurricane,” Levine said. “I recommend and strongly urge all our residents and visitors to leave Miami Beach. I’m aggressively going out there telling everyone get out of Miami Beach.”
Levine said that buses and city trolleys are working to get people off the barrier of Miami Beach and inland, toward shelters around Miami-Dade county. He warned people that first responders will be working to save people after the worst of the storm, but will be unable to help people in the most dangerous areas – such as Miami Beach and the Florida Keys – once the storm has reached them.Levine said that buses and city trolleys are working to get people off the barrier of Miami Beach and inland, toward shelters around Miami-Dade county. He warned people that first responders will be working to save people after the worst of the storm, but will be unable to help people in the most dangerous areas – such as Miami Beach and the Florida Keys – once the storm has reached them.
“When that storm hits we’re not going to put the lives of our first responders in jeopardy,” Levine said. “We don’t want heroes. This isn’t about devastation, it’s about evacuation.”“When that storm hits we’re not going to put the lives of our first responders in jeopardy,” Levine said. “We don’t want heroes. This isn’t about devastation, it’s about evacuation.”
He added that although most of the city’s buildings built after hurricane Andrew, a devastating category five storm that hit Florida in 1992, are built to withstand such storms, people should take no chances. “I wouldn’t trust any building code, any building promise,” the mayor said. “I never thought I’d say this but leave Miami Beach, get out of Miami Beach.’He added that although most of the city’s buildings built after hurricane Andrew, a devastating category five storm that hit Florida in 1992, are built to withstand such storms, people should take no chances. “I wouldn’t trust any building code, any building promise,” the mayor said. “I never thought I’d say this but leave Miami Beach, get out of Miami Beach.’
7.10pm BST7.10pm BST
19:1019:10
Little has changed with Irma’s trajectory with the 2pm eastern update, meaning huge consequences for millions of people in Florida are dependent on tiny, last minute changes in the course of the hurricane, notes meteorologist Ryan Maue.Little has changed with Irma’s trajectory with the 2pm eastern update, meaning huge consequences for millions of people in Florida are dependent on tiny, last minute changes in the course of the hurricane, notes meteorologist Ryan Maue.
Most recent GFS model traces well @NHC_Atlantic forecast track. Huge Hurricane #Irma effects dependent upon only 25-50 miles deviation pic.twitter.com/HJqPJ33a1gMost recent GFS model traces well @NHC_Atlantic forecast track. Huge Hurricane #Irma effects dependent upon only 25-50 miles deviation pic.twitter.com/HJqPJ33a1g
Farther east in the Atlantic, hurricane Jose has grown to a category two storm, with maximum sustained winds of 105mph.Farther east in the Atlantic, hurricane Jose has grown to a category two storm, with maximum sustained winds of 105mph.
6.55pm BST6.55pm BST
18:5518:55
Hurricane Irma has left Puerto Rico with at least three dead and thousands more without power or water, but the island’s residents and government have allowed themselves a sigh of relief that the storm did not move slightly south, wreaking the same devastation as other islands more directly in its path.Hurricane Irma has left Puerto Rico with at least three dead and thousands more without power or water, but the island’s residents and government have allowed themselves a sigh of relief that the storm did not move slightly south, wreaking the same devastation as other islands more directly in its path.
Reuters reports from San Juan, where street signs, powerlines, and trees have fallen across the roads and onto buildings.Reuters reports from San Juan, where street signs, powerlines, and trees have fallen across the roads and onto buildings.
The storm’s eye did not come ashore in Puerto Rico but roared past with 185mph winds and hammered the coast with 30ft waves.“It was really not as bad as we had feared,” said Omar Alvarez, 53, a real state appraiser. “We had very high winds but we got lucky.”The storm’s eye did not come ashore in Puerto Rico but roared past with 185mph winds and hammered the coast with 30ft waves.“It was really not as bad as we had feared,” said Omar Alvarez, 53, a real state appraiser. “We had very high winds but we got lucky.”
“It was mostly wind, not water. In Hugo, the water came up to here,” he said, referring to the 1989 hurricane that had flooded his street just three blocks from the Atlantic Ocean.“It was mostly wind, not water. In Hugo, the water came up to here,” he said, referring to the 1989 hurricane that had flooded his street just three blocks from the Atlantic Ocean.
Governor Ricardo Rossello warned the storm was expected to continue to drop rain on the island’s western side, raising the risk of landslides. Rescuers still were working in the island’s northeast, raising the possibility that more bodies could be discovered.Governor Ricardo Rossello warned the storm was expected to continue to drop rain on the island’s western side, raising the risk of landslides. Rescuers still were working in the island’s northeast, raising the possibility that more bodies could be discovered.
Some 6,300 people and 500 pets remained in shelters in the storm’s wake early Thursday.Some 6,300 people and 500 pets remained in shelters in the storm’s wake early Thursday.
“The Harvey experience had an effect of people,” lawyer Nereida Melendez, 59, said as she walked along a beach-side road covered in sand and palm leaves. “It just showed them what can happen. It made them take it more seriously.”“The Harvey experience had an effect of people,” lawyer Nereida Melendez, 59, said as she walked along a beach-side road covered in sand and palm leaves. “It just showed them what can happen. It made them take it more seriously.”
“Mostly what has happened here is that there is no electricity and a lot of trees are down,” said Rafael Ojeda, a 49-year-old lawyer. “Let’s see how fast the electricity comes back up.”“Mostly what has happened here is that there is no electricity and a lot of trees are down,” said Rafael Ojeda, a 49-year-old lawyer. “Let’s see how fast the electricity comes back up.”
The storm came at a bad time for Puerto Rico, which is in the midst of trying to restructure some $70 billion in debts. Ojeda worried that and the demand for quick repairs to the power grid could lead to longer-term problems.The storm came at a bad time for Puerto Rico, which is in the midst of trying to restructure some $70 billion in debts. Ojeda worried that and the demand for quick repairs to the power grid could lead to longer-term problems.
“The infrastructure is old and if you’re going to just patch it up and not fix it, the next time it is going to go,” he said.“The infrastructure is old and if you’re going to just patch it up and not fix it, the next time it is going to go,” he said.
6.25pm BST
18:25
What we know so far
The eye of Hurricane Irma, still a category 5 storm with sustained winds of 180mph (290kph), moved westward off the northern coast of Hispaniola on Thursday morning, its winds raking the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The storm’s projected path Thursday brings it almost directly over the British possessions of Turks and Caicos, followed by a course near the southern Bahamas.
At least nine people have been confirmed dead in the wake of the storm, and as many as 13 reported killed. The confirmed fatalities include an infant on Barbuda, one person in Anguilla, three people in Puerto Rico, and four in the French territory of St Martin.
Thousands more remain in shelters, their homes damaged or destroyed. In Puerto Rico, almost a million people are without power and 50,000 without water, according to the US territory’s department of emergency relief.
Southern Florida was placed on hurricane watch, with warnings that storm surges of five to 10ft could begin in the next 48 hours. The National Weather Service warned residents that winds and floods could make buildings “uninhabitable for weeks or months”, and authorities raced to bring fuel to areas with shortages.
“Every Florida family must be prepared to evacuate regardless of the coast you live on,” governor Rick Scott said, stressing the gigantic scale of the storm. “We can rebuild your home but we cannot rebuild your life.”
The storm is expected to hit the Florida Keys on Friday night and make landfall on the mainland early Saturday, though it remains unclear where exactly the hurricane will hit the mainland. The Keys will have no rescue services or hospitals from Friday onward, authorities warned.
On Barbuda, prime minister Gaston Browne said Irma had made 90% of the tiny island’s structures “literally rubble” and that half the population was homeless. On French-administered St Martin, local councilman Daniel Gibbs told a local radio station “95% of the island is destroyed”. French authorities have sent naval ships with supplies to the island.
In Haiti and the Dominican Republican, authorities closed all schools. Haitian president Jovenal Moïse urged people in rural areas to head to shelters and out of the mountains. “The hurricane is not a game,” he said in a television address. On the Bahamas, prime minister Hubert Minnis ordered people to leave six southern islands, the largest evacuation in the country’s history.
Already one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record, Irma held sustained winds of 185mph for over 24 hours before it slowed to its current speed, making it the most enduring hurricane since the 1960s when satellite monitoring began. President Donald Trump has declared states of emergency in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Florida.
6.08pm BST
18:08
NWS Miami: prepare for 'uninhabitable' swaths
The Miami station of the National Weather Station has issued a dire warning for the potential effects of the storm on southern Florida, in particular tornado-force winds and huge storm surges.
The main window of concern for hurricane Irma, impacts is early Saturday morning through Monday. Additional concerns exist for flooding rains, isolated tornadoes, significant beach erosion and surf, coastal flooding, and life-threatening rip currents.
Florida residents should be prepared for the possibility that homes and buildings may be entirely “uninhabitable for weeks or months”, the station warned.
Wind: prepare for life-threatening wind having possible devastating impacts across south Florida. Potential impacts include:
Structural damage to sturdy buildings, some with complete roof adn wall failures. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Damage greatly accentuated by large airbone projectiles. Locations may be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Numerous large trees snapped or uprooted along with fences and roadway signs blown over.
Many roads impassable from large debris, and more within urban or heavily wooded places. Many bridges, causeways, and access routes impassable.
Widespread power communications outages.
Structural damage to sturdy buildings, some with complete roof adn wall failures. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Damage greatly accentuated by large airbone projectiles. Locations may be uninhabitable for weeks or months.
Numerous large trees snapped or uprooted along with fences and roadway signs blown over.
Many roads impassable from large debris, and more within urban or heavily wooded places. Many bridges, causeways, and access routes impassable.
Widespread power communications outages.
Surge: prepare for life-threatening surge having possible devastating impacts across coastal Collier, mainland Monroe, coastal Miami-Dade counties, including Biscayne Bay.
Updated
at 8.30pm BST
5.56pm BST
17:56
Donald Trump has said he believes the United States is ready for hurricane Irma, telling reporters, “we think we are as well prepare as we could possibly be.”
Yet he still admitted uncertainty about what will actually happening, as he did on Wednesday, by saying Irma “looks like it could be something that will be not good, believe me, not good.”
On Thursday, he said: “Florida is as well prepared as you can be for something like this and we’ll see what happens. Certainly we are being hit with a lot of hurricanes.”
The president also spoke about the recovery from hurricane Harvey, praising the efforts of the coast guard for saving thousands of lives. “What could have been a total catastrophe,” he said, “in terms of lives has been much less.”
5.47pm BST
17:47
French officials have cast doubt on the number of fatalities on the territory of St Martin, saying they have confirmed four deaths but not the eight reported by local officials previously. The AFP reports:
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Thursday that four people were confirmed dead on the Caribbean island of St Martin ravaged by Hurricane Irma.
Local rescue officials and Interior Minister Gerard Collomb had previously said the death toll stood at eight.
Philippe said around 50 people were injured, including three seriously, on St Martin and the nearby smaller island of St Barthelemy. Twenty-one have been hospitalised.
He said officials were in the process of identifying the four dead, adding that no deaths were reported from St Barthelemy.
On St Martin, 60% of homes have been damaged so badly that they are uninhabitable, Philippe said, describing the disaster as “unimaginable and unprecedented”.
Power is cut across St Martin as well as supplies of potable water and petrol, he said. Roads are either partly or totally impassable, he added.
However the harbour and airport are back in use, he said, noting that a military plane landed on the island Thursday.
“The work will be long, emotions will run deep and the sadness will be great,” he said.
Updated
at 5.50pm BST
5.22pm BST
17:22
On its current course, hurricane Irma is predicted to pass directly over, or quite close to, the British territories of Turk and Caicos on Thursday night, followed by a brush with the southern islands of the Bahamas and Cuba’s northern coast.
On Friday night, the hurricane is expected to land at or pass near the archipelago of the Florida Keys, an area ordered evacuated by the state’s governor, Rick Scott.
It’s unclear exactly where the storm will exactly strike along the coast. Scott warned that it could veer unexpectedly, and that its gigantic size means that the Gulf and Atlantic coasts alike are threatened by severe storm surges and category-four hurricane winds.
5.12pm BST
17:12
Fuel has become such a scarcity in south Florida, and such a priority for governor Rick Scott, that police are escorting tankers and managing gas station service.
Scott said he wanted to avoid the lapses of hurricane Andrew: enough fuel to evacuate, to supply power during the storm, and to speed up the recovery in its aftermath.
How important is gas in South #Florida ahead of #HurricaneIrma?Tankers are getting escorts by law enforcement. @WPTV pic.twitter.com/6D98e3bA36
Troopers are directing traffic again at the West Palm Beach Service Plaza as drivers rush to get gas @CBS12 pic.twitter.com/1Wb9HnHhB6
4.53pm BST
16:53
The National Weather Service branch of the Florida Keys have warned in the most severe terms that everyone should leave the archipelago, saying in a midday advisory that hurricane conditions are possible within the next 48 hours.
From the advisory:
The hurricane’s most likely arrival time is late morning or afternoon Saturday.
Storm surges of six to 10ft could push onto the islands, depending on the course of the hurricane.
Hurricane force winds – a minimum of 74mph, but almost certainly far higher – extend for about 100 miles across the storm.
“There are no coast guard search and rescue assets left in the Keys. The Port of Key West is to officially close 8pm Thursday. The Snake Creek Drawbridge in Islamorada is to be locked down (no openings for marine traffic) at 8pm Thursday.”
4.41pm BST
16:41
Florida governor Rick Scott has activated 3,000 members of the state national guard, with plans to activate the entire state force – 7,000 people in all – on Friday.
“We are expecting our state to have major impacts from Hurricane Irma and we are taking aggressive actions to make sure Florida is prepared,” Scott said in a statement. “These men and women are putting themselves in harm’s way to save the lives of their fellow Floridians while many of their own families are evacuating. I am proud of their commitment to keeping our families safe.”
Earlier on Thursday, Scott pleaded with residents who have already prepared to help volunteer at shelters and distribution centers. In Key West, the police chief has warned everyone that after Friday, all hospitals will be closed after 7am local time, and there will be no helicopters available for people who choose to defy the mandatory evacuation order.
UPDATE: We have run out of sandbags at 79 ST & Collins Avenue. If you are still in need, go to 5 ST & Ocean Dr. #HurricaneIrma
4.36pm BST
16:36
Death toll rises to 13
Hurricane Irma killed three people as it battered Puerto Rico, with a 79-year-old woman, a younger woman, and a man among the fatalities.
In a statement, governor Ricardo Rossello said that the elderly woman, who needed assistance moving, died after a fall en route to a shelter. A younger woman died in Camuy, on the north-west coast of the island, from electrocution in her home, and a man died from a traffic accident in Canóvanas, in the north-east.
Eight others were reported killed in French St Martin, as well as one person in Anguilla and an infant in Barbuda.
4.23pm BST
16:23
For the first time in seven years, there are currently three active hurricanes in the Atlantic:
The category-five Irma, on course over Turks and Caicos, toward the southern Bahamas, and south Florida;
The category-one Katia, gaining strength but stationary in the Gulf of Mexico;
The category-one Jose, on a tentative path back toward Barbuda, Antigua, and Puerto Rico – the islands’ second hurricane in three days.
11:00 AM AST Advisory/Advertencia #9: Hurricane/Huracán José. #prwx #usviwx pic.twitter.com/Fi075N8vO4