Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 6 september 2017

At Press Time:

Record-breaking Hurricane Irma bears down on Caribbean

Continued from Front ing to do in the northern
Irma is so strong because of Leewards,” it will be big
the unusually warm waters enough and close enough
for that part of the Atlantic. to cause nasty storm surge,
Hurricane-force winds ex- heavy rain with mudslides,
tended outward up to 60 McNoldy said.
miles (95 kilometers) from Authorities warned that the
the center and tropical storm could dump up to 12
storm-force winds extend- inches (31 centimeters) of
ed outward up to 175 miles rain, cause landslides and
(280 kilometers). flash floods and generate
The center of Irma was waves of up to 23 feet (7
about 130 miles (210 kilo- meters). Government of-
meters) east of Antigua ficials began evacuations
and about 135 miles (220 and urged people to final-
kilometers) east-southeast ize all preparations as store
of Barbuda, prompting an shelves emptied out on is-
ominous warning from of- lands including Puerto Rico.
ficials as the airport closed. “The decisions that we
People in the two-island na- make in the next couple
tion should seek protection of hours can make the dif-
from Irma’s “onslaught,” ference between life and
officials warned in a state- death,” Puerto Rico Gov.
ment, closing with: “May A homeowner makes last minute repairs to his roof in preparation for Hurricane Irma, in St. John’s, Ricardo Rossello said. “This
God protect us all.” Antigua and Barbuda, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Irma grew into a dangerous Category 5 storm, the is an extremely dangerous
most powerful seen in the Atlantic in over a decade, and roared toward islands in the northeast
Several small islands were Caribbean Tuesday on a path that could eventually take it to the United States. storm.”
directly in the path of the (AP Photo/Johnny Jno-Baptiste) Antigua and Barbuda Prime
storm. In addition to Bar- soon enough.” MIT meteorology professor. ated Press. Minister Gaston Browne
buda they included An- The storm was moving west “People who are living For the U.S. “this looks like at said he was confident Bar-
guilla, a small, low-lying Brit- at 15 mph (24 kph), and the there (the Florida Keys) or this point that it’s very hard buda would weather the
ish island territory of about hurricane center said there have property there are to miss,” said University of storm.
15,000 people. was a growing possibility its very scared, and they Miami senior hurricane re- “I am satisfied that at a
Authorities there convert- effects could be felt in Flori- should be,” Emanuel said. searcher Brian McNoldy. governmental level that
ed three churches and a da later this week and over The storm’s eye was ex- “You’d be hard pressed we have done everything
school into shelters as they the weekend. pected to pass about 50 to find any model that that is humanly possible to
prepared for a big storm If it stays on the forecast miles (80 kilometers) from doesn’t have some impact mitigate against the effects
surge and the full brunt of track and reaches the Puerto Rico late Wednes- on Florida. or the potential effects of
the winds. Florida Straits, the wa- day. Whether it’s the worst case this storm,” he said. “What
“People normally go to ter there is warm enough “Puerto Rico has not seen a or next-to-worst case, it is really required now is for
friends and family during that the already “intense” hurricane of this magnitude doesn’t look good.” Antiguans and Barbudans
a storm. We’ll see,” said storm could become much in almost 100 years,” Carlos For the Caribbean “even ... to follow the warnings
Melissa Meade, director of worse with wind speeds po- Anselmi, a National Weath- if the eyewall doesn’t and to act appropriately so
the Disaster Management tentially reaching 225 mph, er Service meteorologist in pass directly over them, that we do not end up with
Department. “We’ll find out warned Kerry Emanuel, an San Juan, told The Associ- which unfortunately it’s go- any serious casualties.”q

Florida on edge, evacuations coming as Hurricane Irma nears

By ADRIANA GOMEZ said they decided to plan storm had the most pow-
TERRY SPENCER well in advance after see- erful winds ever recorded
KELLI KENNEDY ing what Hurricane Harvey for a storm in the Atlantic
Associated Press did to Texas. “We ordered Ocean and posed an im-
KEY LARGO, Fla. (AP) — water off Amazon because mediate threat to the small
Hurricane Irma’s size and the stores were out and also islands of the northern Lee-
strength put the entire state ordered food,” said Eastin, wards, including Antigua
of Florida on notice on a 43-year-old lawyer who and Barbuda, as well as the
Tuesday, and residents and has lived in Florida 12 years. British and U.S. Virgin Islands
visitors prepared to leave in “Seeing the devastation and Puerto Rico. The last
anticipation of catastroph- in Texas is a sad reminder major storm to hit Florida
ic winds and floods that that you have to take the was 2005’s Wilma, its eye
could reach the state by events very seriously.” cutting through the state’s
this weekend. Erik Budman drills a nail into the plywood as he prepares for Irma’s winds were 185 mph southern third as it packed
Throughout South Florida, Hurricane Irma, at a local business, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, in (297 kph) on Tuesday, a winds of 120 mph (193 kph).
Key Largo, Fla. Hurricane Irma grew into a Category 5 storm, the
officials readied evacu- most powerful seen in the Atlantic in over a decade, and roared strong Category 5 storm, Five people died. Florida
ation orders and people toward islands in the northeast Caribbean Tuesday on a path and forecasters say it Gov. Rick Scott declared
raided store shelves, buy- that could eventually take it to the United States. could strengthen more as a state of emergency in all
ing up water and other (AP Photo/Alan Diaz) it neared the eastern-most 67 counties to give local
hurricane supplies. Long out of storage and put up Parker Eastin filled up his Caribbean islands, accord- governments “ample time,
lines formed at gas stations plywood to protect their gas tank at a busy fuel sta- ing to the National Hurri- resources and flexibility” to
and people pulled shutters homes and businesses. tion. He and his girlfriend cane Center in Miami. The prepare for the storm.q