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| First death reported in Florida as storm hits – as it happened | First death reported in Florida as storm hits – as it happened |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| We’re going to wind up the live blog. Thanks for following along today. You can read our full story about Hurricane Michael here. | We’re going to wind up the live blog. Thanks for following along today. You can read our full story about Hurricane Michael here. |
| If you want to make sure you never miss out on the news of the day, sign up the Guardian’s new US morning briefing and we’ll bring you up to speed on the day’s top stories and must-reads every weekday morning. | If you want to make sure you never miss out on the news of the day, sign up the Guardian’s new US morning briefing and we’ll bring you up to speed on the day’s top stories and must-reads every weekday morning. |
| Hurricane Michael heads for Georgia after battering northern Florida | |
| Hurricane Michael, the strongest storm to ever hit the Florida Panhandle, was upgraded to a category 4 hurricane in the early hours of Wednesday morning as it approached the coast of Florida. | Hurricane Michael, the strongest storm to ever hit the Florida Panhandle, was upgraded to a category 4 hurricane in the early hours of Wednesday morning as it approached the coast of Florida. |
| It made landfall on Wednesday at about lunchtime, near Mexico Beach, Florida with winds of 155 mph. | It made landfall on Wednesday at about lunchtime, near Mexico Beach, Florida with winds of 155 mph. |
| One death has been reported, of a Florida man killed by a falling tree in Gadsden County. A woman was hit in the head by a falling tree limb and her condition is not clear | One death has been reported, of a Florida man killed by a falling tree in Gadsden County. A woman was hit in the head by a falling tree limb and her condition is not clear |
| It is the strongest storm to hit the continental US is more than 25 years, and the third most intense hurricane to ever make landfall on the continental US. | It is the strongest storm to hit the continental US is more than 25 years, and the third most intense hurricane to ever make landfall on the continental US. |
| Trump has described the storm as a “monster” and acknowledged the poverty in the area hampered evacuation efforts, with thousands of residents staying in their homes. | Trump has described the storm as a “monster” and acknowledged the poverty in the area hampered evacuation efforts, with thousands of residents staying in their homes. |
| More than 311,000 homes and businesses in Florida, Georgia and Alabama are without power due to the hurricane. | More than 311,000 homes and businesses in Florida, Georgia and Alabama are without power due to the hurricane. |
| Hurricane Michael was downgraded to a category 1 storm on Wednesday night with maximum wind speeds of 90 mph. | Hurricane Michael was downgraded to a category 1 storm on Wednesday night with maximum wind speeds of 90 mph. |
| Jamiles Lartey is in Marianna, Florida, which was hit by the hurricane earlier today. He has this dispatch from one of the shelters where people are riding out the storm. | Jamiles Lartey is in Marianna, Florida, which was hit by the hurricane earlier today. He has this dispatch from one of the shelters where people are riding out the storm. |
| The primary shelter for Jackson County is at the Marianna high school where some 550 had filed in the lead-up to the storm. | The primary shelter for Jackson County is at the Marianna high school where some 550 had filed in the lead-up to the storm. |
| Many, like Teangelia Sims came as early as 5am Tuesday morning. | Many, like Teangelia Sims came as early as 5am Tuesday morning. |
| “We’ve never had a category 4 and I’ve seen what [weaker storms] have done in previous years so I wasn’t going to take that risk,” Sims said. | “We’ve never had a category 4 and I’ve seen what [weaker storms] have done in previous years so I wasn’t going to take that risk,” Sims said. |
| She came here with her two children but was preparing to go to work just after the intense winds of the eye wall passed over.“We have to be there, we can’t not show up. Don’t really have a choice,” said Sims, who is a sergeant at the Jackson county prison in Malone, Florida. | She came here with her two children but was preparing to go to work just after the intense winds of the eye wall passed over.“We have to be there, we can’t not show up. Don’t really have a choice,” said Sims, who is a sergeant at the Jackson county prison in Malone, Florida. |
| Administrators told her to prepare to be at the prison for up to 24 hours. | Administrators told her to prepare to be at the prison for up to 24 hours. |
| The shelter is bustling. There’s a faint smell of wet dog everywhere, one aisle has been cordoned off for evacuees’ pets. | The shelter is bustling. There’s a faint smell of wet dog everywhere, one aisle has been cordoned off for evacuees’ pets. |
| As for the humans, some people lounge in the hallways, fidget with smartphones and chat eating hamburgers. There are blankets and air mattresses scattered all around the school hallways, in addition to the formal sleeping quarters in the gymnasium. | As for the humans, some people lounge in the hallways, fidget with smartphones and chat eating hamburgers. There are blankets and air mattresses scattered all around the school hallways, in addition to the formal sleeping quarters in the gymnasium. |
| In the cafeteria one impromptu group plays a card game based on DC comic characters. The lights flicker on and off. | In the cafeteria one impromptu group plays a card game based on DC comic characters. The lights flicker on and off. |
| Pauline Thompson said she initially planned on staying home “but it started getting to category four, and the said it might strengthen I was like ok let’s go.” | Pauline Thompson said she initially planned on staying home “but it started getting to category four, and the said it might strengthen I was like ok let’s go.” |
| She also wanted to make sure her mother and her niece, who live in a mobile home, got to the shelter as well. | She also wanted to make sure her mother and her niece, who live in a mobile home, got to the shelter as well. |
| As we chat, shelter personnel announce over the PA that it is no longer safe for residents to be outside. I ask if they are concerned about their homes or possessions and how they will fair. “A little bit,” said Thompson’s mother Eva Holland. “All that material stuff I can get back, though I just wanted to get us here.” | As we chat, shelter personnel announce over the PA that it is no longer safe for residents to be outside. I ask if they are concerned about their homes or possessions and how they will fair. “A little bit,” said Thompson’s mother Eva Holland. “All that material stuff I can get back, though I just wanted to get us here.” |
| Mike Childress didn’t want to come to the shelter and planned to ride it out at home but his childhood friend Matt Davis ultimately convinced him to head over Tuesday morning. “I didn’t come prepared, I didn’t bring nothing to sleep with besides one pillow,” Childress said. | Mike Childress didn’t want to come to the shelter and planned to ride it out at home but his childhood friend Matt Davis ultimately convinced him to head over Tuesday morning. “I didn’t come prepared, I didn’t bring nothing to sleep with besides one pillow,” Childress said. |
| They both live in trailer homes surrounded by tall, skinny Florida pine trees- a very dangerous place to be with the type of winds Michael dished out. | They both live in trailer homes surrounded by tall, skinny Florida pine trees- a very dangerous place to be with the type of winds Michael dished out. |
| “It’s hard being in here but at least I know we’re safe and secure behind some solid walls. At least I don’t feel like i’m in a cardboard box anymore,” Childress said. | “It’s hard being in here but at least I know we’re safe and secure behind some solid walls. At least I don’t feel like i’m in a cardboard box anymore,” Childress said. |
| Davis arrived Monday morning to set up his spot, better prepared than his friend, he brought an air mattress, blankets, pillows, and snacks “to hold me over till at least Friday.” | Davis arrived Monday morning to set up his spot, better prepared than his friend, he brought an air mattress, blankets, pillows, and snacks “to hold me over till at least Friday.” |
| His diligence was mostly due to a strong dislike of sever weather. “I hate weather so my stomach has been in knots for the past three days,” Davis said. | His diligence was mostly due to a strong dislike of sever weather. “I hate weather so my stomach has been in knots for the past three days,” Davis said. |
| The two were hopeful they could leave Thursday to survey any damage and maybe begin to get back to normal. | The two were hopeful they could leave Thursday to survey any damage and maybe begin to get back to normal. |
| Cornelius Smith said she was planning on going back home as soon as soon as the worst had passed the area. | Cornelius Smith said she was planning on going back home as soon as soon as the worst had passed the area. |
| “To me, weather people hype the weather and it just makes me not even want to listen to it,” said Smith who lives just about a mile away from the shelter. | “To me, weather people hype the weather and it just makes me not even want to listen to it,” said Smith who lives just about a mile away from the shelter. |
| She and her husband William live in a sturdy brick house with a generator and only came to the shelter because they were concerned about about an oak tree in their yard. As long as it weathered the storm they planned on riding out the rest of the aftermath at home. | She and her husband William live in a sturdy brick house with a generator and only came to the shelter because they were concerned about about an oak tree in their yard. As long as it weathered the storm they planned on riding out the rest of the aftermath at home. |
| “I know I’m going to be going back home today!” she said emphatically. | “I know I’m going to be going back home today!” she said emphatically. |
| The Weather Channel is reporting that Hurricane Michael is the third most intense hurricane to make landfall on the continental US and second most intense to make landfall in Florida. | The Weather Channel is reporting that Hurricane Michael is the third most intense hurricane to make landfall on the continental US and second most intense to make landfall in Florida. |
| (Confusingly, the lower the number with pressure measurements, the more intense the hurricane as there is a general correlation between lower pressure and higher winds). | (Confusingly, the lower the number with pressure measurements, the more intense the hurricane as there is a general correlation between lower pressure and higher winds). |
| Pretty crazy where #Michael ranks when it comes to landfalling hurricanes in FL & the US. pic.twitter.com/xtZZa0RTe9 | Pretty crazy where #Michael ranks when it comes to landfalling hurricanes in FL & the US. pic.twitter.com/xtZZa0RTe9 |
| Whew! NBC News Reporter Kerry Sanders was nearly blown away by the winds of Hurricane Michael in Panama City Beach, Florida, when the Weather Channel's Jim Cantore saved him. https://t.co/wQ4PZaVlX5 pic.twitter.com/PoDc9MmIxi | Whew! NBC News Reporter Kerry Sanders was nearly blown away by the winds of Hurricane Michael in Panama City Beach, Florida, when the Weather Channel's Jim Cantore saved him. https://t.co/wQ4PZaVlX5 pic.twitter.com/PoDc9MmIxi |
| The mayor of Tallahassee has issued an update for the city: | The mayor of Tallahassee has issued an update for the city: |
| There have been no reports of significant injury in Tallahassee | There have been no reports of significant injury in Tallahassee |
| Roads remain unsafe and people are warned to remain sheltered inside. Police, fire and electric crews are out assessing damages | Roads remain unsafe and people are warned to remain sheltered inside. Police, fire and electric crews are out assessing damages |
| They have received more than 200 reports of roads blocked by trees | They have received more than 200 reports of roads blocked by trees |
| More than a dozen poles are down on Thomasville road north of I-10 | More than a dozen poles are down on Thomasville road north of I-10 |
| 91,000 people are without power | 91,000 people are without power |
| Restoration work will begin once winds die down | Restoration work will begin once winds die down |
| Electricity companies are already on the ground in Florida, working to restore power to homes and businesses. At last count, more than 311,000 properties were without power. | Electricity companies are already on the ground in Florida, working to restore power to homes and businesses. At last count, more than 311,000 properties were without power. |
| Gulf Power said that 3,000 utility workers from all over the country had travelled to northwest Florida and were heading out to repair power lines and utility poles as soon as the conditions were safe. | Gulf Power said that 3,000 utility workers from all over the country had travelled to northwest Florida and were heading out to repair power lines and utility poles as soon as the conditions were safe. |
| More than 3,000 workers from utilities all over the country are here in Northwest Florida. Workers from Volt were out restoring power as soon as weather conditions allowed from #HurricaneMichael. Hurricane Michael hit Northwest Florida today with wind speeds near 150 mph. pic.twitter.com/xmpx7HjgZS | More than 3,000 workers from utilities all over the country are here in Northwest Florida. Workers from Volt were out restoring power as soon as weather conditions allowed from #HurricaneMichael. Hurricane Michael hit Northwest Florida today with wind speeds near 150 mph. pic.twitter.com/xmpx7HjgZS |
| Shame Hubbard, a researcher at the space science and engineering center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has produced this map that models the impact of the damage from Hurricane Michael. | Shame Hubbard, a researcher at the space science and engineering center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has produced this map that models the impact of the damage from Hurricane Michael. |
| This map reflects the areas that will receive the highest impacts from Hurricane Michael. Based upon damage and loss modeling, the Counties in magenta will have the greatest impacts from wind and surge. Building related losses are projected around 10 billion dollars. #Michael pic.twitter.com/kGdWmEWjMk | This map reflects the areas that will receive the highest impacts from Hurricane Michael. Based upon damage and loss modeling, the Counties in magenta will have the greatest impacts from wind and surge. Building related losses are projected around 10 billion dollars. #Michael pic.twitter.com/kGdWmEWjMk |
| Hurricane Michael has been downgraded to a category 1 storm. As of 8pm, the hurricane had maximum sustained wind speeds of 90 mph, which places it into category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, which is how the National Hurricane Center determines hurricane categories. | Hurricane Michael has been downgraded to a category 1 storm. As of 8pm, the hurricane had maximum sustained wind speeds of 90 mph, which places it into category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, which is how the National Hurricane Center determines hurricane categories. |
| How do you determine what category a hurricane is? Through the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.https://t.co/PVM3kbCtPB pic.twitter.com/I9nazz6qq2 | How do you determine what category a hurricane is? Through the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.https://t.co/PVM3kbCtPB pic.twitter.com/I9nazz6qq2 |