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Next version
| Version 67 | Version 68 |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Irma: millions evacuate Florida as superstorm hits Cuba – latest updates | Hurricane Irma: millions evacuate Florida as superstorm hits Cuba – latest updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 6.21am BST | |
| 06:21 | |
| The evacuation ongoing in Florida and beyond is among the largest in US history. | |
| In Florida, 5.6 million people – that’s more than one-quarter of the state’s population – have been ordered to leave, | |
| In Georgia, 540,000 people on the coast received mandatory evacuation orders. | |
| Florida governor Rick Scott warned on Friday: | |
| If you are planning to leave and do not leave tonight, you will have to ride out this extremely dangerous storm at your own risk. | |
| Officials said they would not risk sending rescue and emergency services personnel into the heart of the storm while it raged. | |
| With Irma’s outer rain bands already brushing the Florida coast, Saturday morning is forecast to see the first tropical storm-force winds. They will build until Hurricane Irma arrives in its full intensity – forecast on Sunday morning in the Florida Keys. | |
| Updated | |
| at 6.23am BST | |
| 6.04am BST | |
| 06:04 | |
| Irma brushes Florida | |
| The outer bands of Hurricane Irma have reached the US, with rain and increased wind speeds in south Florida and the Keys. | |
| The centre of the storm remains over northern Cuba, where the Camaguey archipelago has borne the brunt. | |
| 1245a: Outer bands of #Irma are moving into south Florida & down the upper and middle Keys, gusts 40 to 50 mph are possible. #FLkeys #flwx pic.twitter.com/M0PhDqGEou | |
| 5.53am BST | 5.53am BST |
| 05:53 | 05:53 |
| Martin Farrer | Martin Farrer |
| Hurricane Jose has moved closer to category five strength, with tops winds of 155mph (250kmh) as it heads towards the eastern Caribbean islands ravaged by Hurricane Irma. | Hurricane Jose has moved closer to category five strength, with tops winds of 155mph (250kmh) as it heads towards the eastern Caribbean islands ravaged by Hurricane Irma. |
| Jose was about 265 miles (430km) east-south-east of the northern Leeward Islands early on Saturday and is forecast to hit the outlying Caribbean islands later in the day. | Jose was about 265 miles (430km) east-south-east of the northern Leeward Islands early on Saturday and is forecast to hit the outlying Caribbean islands later in the day. |
| The US national hurricane centre said that “air force hurricane hunters find Jose even stronger … almost a category 5 hurricane”. | The US national hurricane centre said that “air force hurricane hunters find Jose even stronger … almost a category 5 hurricane”. |
| It issued hurricane warnings for the eastern Caribbean islands of Barbuda and Anguilla, Sint Maarten, St Martin and St Barthélemy. A hurricane watch was in effect for Antigua, while tropical storm watch was in effect for Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, British Virgin Islands, and St Thomas and St John. | It issued hurricane warnings for the eastern Caribbean islands of Barbuda and Anguilla, Sint Maarten, St Martin and St Barthélemy. A hurricane watch was in effect for Antigua, while tropical storm watch was in effect for Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, British Virgin Islands, and St Thomas and St John. |
| Many of Irma’s victims have already fled their devastated islands on ferries and fishing boats for fear of Jose, which is currently ranked as a category four storm that could punish some places all over again this weekend. | Many of Irma’s victims have already fled their devastated islands on ferries and fishing boats for fear of Jose, which is currently ranked as a category four storm that could punish some places all over again this weekend. |
| “I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to know that further damage is imminent,” said inspector Frankie Thomas of the Antigua and Barbuda police. | “I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to know that further damage is imminent,” said inspector Frankie Thomas of the Antigua and Barbuda police. |
| 5.39am BST | 5.39am BST |
| 05:39 | 05:39 |
| When will Irma reach Florida? | When will Irma reach Florida? |
| These graphics from the US National Hurricane Center show first, the most likely arrival times of tropical storm-force winds (which will precede Irma’s full-strength landfall), and second, the earliest times such winds could arrive. | These graphics from the US National Hurricane Center show first, the most likely arrival times of tropical storm-force winds (which will precede Irma’s full-strength landfall), and second, the earliest times such winds could arrive. |
| Although the hurricane itself is forecast to arrive on Sunday morning, Florida will be seeing extremely strong winds from Saturday morning, sweeping up through the state. | Although the hurricane itself is forecast to arrive on Sunday morning, Florida will be seeing extremely strong winds from Saturday morning, sweeping up through the state. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.40am BST | at 5.40am BST |
| 5.24am BST | 5.24am BST |
| 05:24 | 05:24 |
| Cuba – at just after midnight – is currently bearing the brunt of Irma, as it made landfall in the north of the country and returned to category five intensity. | Cuba – at just after midnight – is currently bearing the brunt of Irma, as it made landfall in the north of the country and returned to category five intensity. |
| Reuters reports: | Reuters reports: |
| The scenes along Cuba’s north central coast were gradually coming to resemble the horrors of those of other Caribbean islands over the last week as Irma barrelled in for a direct hit at Ciego de Avila province around midnight. | The scenes along Cuba’s north central coast were gradually coming to resemble the horrors of those of other Caribbean islands over the last week as Irma barrelled in for a direct hit at Ciego de Avila province around midnight. |
| Choppy seas, grey skies, sheets of rain, bending palm trees, huge waves crashing over sea walls and downed power lines filled state-run television’s evening newscast. | Choppy seas, grey skies, sheets of rain, bending palm trees, huge waves crashing over sea walls and downed power lines filled state-run television’s evening newscast. |
| Irma was forecast to bring dangerous storm surges of up to 10ft (3m) on parts of Cuba’s northern coast. | Irma was forecast to bring dangerous storm surges of up to 10ft (3m) on parts of Cuba’s northern coast. |
| Meteorologists warned that by Saturday morning scenes of far greater devastation were sure to emerge as Irma worked her way along the northern coast westward through Sancti Spiritus and Villa Clara provinces. | Meteorologists warned that by Saturday morning scenes of far greater devastation were sure to emerge as Irma worked her way along the northern coast westward through Sancti Spiritus and Villa Clara provinces. |
| The area is home to pristine keys with more than 50 hotels and fine beaches, vital money-makers for the cash-strapped government. | The area is home to pristine keys with more than 50 hotels and fine beaches, vital money-makers for the cash-strapped government. |
| Residents in the central province of Camaguey hunkered down on Friday night. “There are really strong gusts of wind. It is pouring off and on, and the lights are out,” Anaida Gonzalez, a retired nurse, said by telephone. | Residents in the central province of Camaguey hunkered down on Friday night. “There are really strong gusts of wind. It is pouring off and on, and the lights are out,” Anaida Gonzalez, a retired nurse, said by telephone. |
| 5.17am BST | 5.17am BST |
| 05:17 | 05:17 |
| Palm Beach county curfew | Palm Beach county curfew |
| Florida’s Palm Beach county has said it will impose a curfew from 3pm Saturday, ahead of the arrival of tropical storm-force winds. | Florida’s Palm Beach county has said it will impose a curfew from 3pm Saturday, ahead of the arrival of tropical storm-force winds. |
| Officials do not want people out in the streets – or risk them needing rescue or emergency services – as Irma approaches. Those who have not evacuated are urged to seek safe shelter. | Officials do not want people out in the streets – or risk them needing rescue or emergency services – as Irma approaches. Those who have not evacuated are urged to seek safe shelter. |
| 4.57am BST | 4.57am BST |
| 04:57 | 04:57 |
| Timothy Harris, prime minister of St Kitts & Nevis, has warned that the approaching Hurricane Jose will affect the islands – but, as with Irma, they should escape its worst effects. | Timothy Harris, prime minister of St Kitts & Nevis, has warned that the approaching Hurricane Jose will affect the islands – but, as with Irma, they should escape its worst effects. |
| Senior meteorological officer Elmo Burke says outer rain bands from Jose will reach St Kitts & Nevis overnight and into Saturday, with its closest passing late afternoon on Saturday. Sunday, at least, will bring better weather conditions. | Senior meteorological officer Elmo Burke says outer rain bands from Jose will reach St Kitts & Nevis overnight and into Saturday, with its closest passing late afternoon on Saturday. Sunday, at least, will bring better weather conditions. |
| 4.38am BST | 4.38am BST |
| 04:38 | 04:38 |
| Florida governor Rick Scott has issued another plea for residents in evacuation zones – which cover 5.6 million people – to leave. | Florida governor Rick Scott has issued another plea for residents in evacuation zones – which cover 5.6 million people – to leave. |
| Scott says evacuation orders are also being issued further up the west coast of the state, given forecasts predicting that Irma could now track west. | Scott says evacuation orders are also being issued further up the west coast of the state, given forecasts predicting that Irma could now track west. |
| And he warns that Floridians must be | And he warns that Floridians must be |
| prepared to locate to the closest available shelter within their counties if they do not evacuate by noon tomorrow [Saturday]. | prepared to locate to the closest available shelter within their counties if they do not evacuate by noon tomorrow [Saturday]. |
| There are currently no shelters on the vulnerable Florida Keys, whose residents have been told to go. | There are currently no shelters on the vulnerable Florida Keys, whose residents have been told to go. |
| But officials said on Friday they would open four “shelters of last resort” on Saturday at 7pm for those who had not evacuated. | But officials said on Friday they would open four “shelters of last resort” on Saturday at 7pm for those who had not evacuated. |
| No services will be available at those shelters, as most officials will have left the Keys. | No services will be available at those shelters, as most officials will have left the Keys. |
| 4.29am BST | 4.29am BST |
| 04:29 | 04:29 |
| Hurricane Katia makes landfall in Mexico | Hurricane Katia makes landfall in Mexico |
| With Irma returning to category five, and Jose close to it, a third hurricane has just made landfall – though with thankfully lesser intensity. | With Irma returning to category five, and Jose close to it, a third hurricane has just made landfall – though with thankfully lesser intensity. |
| Hurricane Katia, which is category one, has just made landfall in Mexico, north of Tecolutla, with wind speeds of 75mph (120kph). | Hurricane Katia, which is category one, has just made landfall in Mexico, north of Tecolutla, with wind speeds of 75mph (120kph). |
| The US National Hurricane Center reassures that: | The US National Hurricane Center reassures that: |
| Rapid weakening is forecast during the next 24 hours. | Rapid weakening is forecast during the next 24 hours. |
| 4.17am BST | 4.17am BST |
| 04:17 | 04:17 |
| Here is Irma making landfall in Cuba, where the hurricane has hit the Camaguey archipelago, just off the northern coast. | Here is Irma making landfall in Cuba, where the hurricane has hit the Camaguey archipelago, just off the northern coast. |
| #Irma has officially made landfall in Cuba as a Cat. 5 - the 1st Cat. 5 hurricane to make landfall in Cuba since 1924. pic.twitter.com/ue9wTMZta7 | #Irma has officially made landfall in Cuba as a Cat. 5 - the 1st Cat. 5 hurricane to make landfall in Cuba since 1924. pic.twitter.com/ue9wTMZta7 |
| 4.06am BST | 4.06am BST |
| 04:06 | 04:06 |
| Irma forecast to hit Florida on Sunday | Irma forecast to hit Florida on Sunday |
| The NHC forecast says Irma is now predicted to move to the Florida Keys on Sunday morning local time, then to the south-west coast of Florida by Sunday afternoon. | The NHC forecast says Irma is now predicted to move to the Florida Keys on Sunday morning local time, then to the south-west coast of Florida by Sunday afternoon. |