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U.S. NEWS Thursday 7 sepTember 2017
‘This is a buzz saw’: Florida braces for Hurricane Irma

Continued from Front cane researcher Brian Mc-
Noldy said Irma could eas-
But because of the uncer- ily prove the costliest storm
tainty in any forecast this in U.S. history.
far out, state and local au- Jeff Masters, director of the
thorities in Miami and Fort Weather Underground fore-
Lauderdale held off for the casting service, warned
time being on ordering any that high winds and large
widespread evacuations storm surges will damage
there. Republican Gov. expensive properties from
Rick Scott waived tolls on all Miami to Charleston, South
Florida highways and told Carolina. “If it goes right
people if they were think- up the Gold Coast like the
ing about leaving to “get current models are saying,
out now.” But in the same then the Gold Coast is go-
breath, he acknowledged ing to become the Mud
that “it’s hard to tell people Coast,” Masters said. “That
where to go until we know includes Mar-a-Lago.”
exactly where it will go.” While Florida building
Amid the dire forecasts and codes were tightened and
the devastating damage enforced more stringently
done by Hurricane Harvey after Andrew, the popula-
less than two weeks ago in Boats wait in line to haul their boats north Tavernier, Fla., on US 1, in anticipation of Hurricane Irma tion since then has grown,
Houston, some people who on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017. Keys officials announced a mandatory evacuation Wednesday for coastal development has
usually ride out storms in visitors, with residents being told to leave the next day. continued, and climate
Florida seemed unwilling to (AP Photo/Alan Diaz) change has become more
risk it this time. a state of emergency and Klotzbach said. University of Miami hurri- pronounced.q
“Should we leave? A lot asked the governors of
of people that I wouldn’t Alabama and Georgia to
expect to leave are leav- waive trucking regulations
ing. So, it’s like, ‘Oh, wow!’” so gasoline tankers can get
said Martie McClain, 66, fuel into Florida quickly to
who lives in the South Flor- ease shortages. It has been
ida town of Plantation. Still, almost 25 years since Flor-
she was undecided about ida took a hit from a Cat-
going and worried about egory 5 storm. Hurricane
getting stuck in traffic and Andrew struck just south of
running out of gas. Miami in 1992 with winds
The many construction topping 165 mph (265 kph),
cranes at sites around South killing 65 people and inflict-
Florida could pose a serious ing $26 billion in damage.
threat if they are toppled. It was at the time the most
In Miami, the deputy direc- expensive natural disaster
tor of the Building Depart- in U.S. history. “We’ll see
ment, Maurice Pons, said what happens,” President
that there about two doz- Donald Trump said in Wash-
en such cranes in the city ington. “It looks like it could
alone and that they were be something that could
built to withstand winds up be not good, believe me,
to 145 mph, but not a Cat- not good.” Trump’s exclu-
egory 5 hurricane. sive Mar-a-Lago resort in
He said he could “not Palm Beach — the unoffi-
advise staying in a build- cial Southern White House
ing next to a construction — sits in the path of the
crane during a major hur- storm. This is only the sec-
ricane like Irma.” ond time on Earth since
As people rushed to buy satellites started tracking
up water and other sup- storms about 40 years ago
plies, board up their homes that one maintained 185
with plywood and fill up mph winds for more than
their cars, Scott declared 24 hours, Colorado State’s