Hurricane Irma News: Evacuations Continue as Storm Ravage British Territory
Preparations and emergency response are now being made in Florida as Hurricane Irma approaches. As a Category 5 storm, Irma has claimed 13 lives and is wreaking havoc in the Caribbean.
Mandatory evacuations are being enforced in several Florida counties, with many scrambling for airplane tickets to escape the eye of the storm, which is expected to hit the state on Sunday.
"Regardless of which (Florida) coast you live on, be prepared to evacuate," Florida governor Rick Scott said on Thursday. "This is not a storm you can sit and wait through. You don't have to drive hundreds of miles or leave the state to be safe. Go to shelters."
Hurricane Irma, which has been dubbed to be the deadliest storm in history, has already triggered the official hurricane warning earlier this week. It has also affected the British Turks and Caicos Island.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has estimated that about 37 million people could suffer the effects of the Category 5 storm. Flash floods, landslides, and flooding are expected once Irma makes landfall over at the state of Florida. Furthermore, South Carolina and Georgia have also been issued mandatory evacuations.
Florida has also suspended all toll fees in the state to get the traffic moving as fast as it can. Officials are also ready to take care of disabled or abandoned vehicles to make sure that they do not cause further hassle to the residents trying to evacuate in haste.
"Don't call for someone to pick you up and leave your car there," said Sergeant Mark Wysocky, Florida Highway Patrol spokesman. "We want to keep the roadway clear for emergency vehicles to get in."
Aside from the states that have been mentioned, hurricane Irma has also triggered warnings in parts of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the Bahamas.
