• Hurricane Irma LIVE updates: Winds topple three giant cranes in South Florida, 3-5 feet of storm surge possible

Hurricane Irma LIVE updates: Winds topple three giant cranes in South Florida, 3-5 feet of storm surge possible

Hurricane Irma: Said to be one of the fiercest Atlantic storms in a century, the hurricane has also set off one of the largest evacuations of Americans from a storm.

By: Express Web Desk | New Delhi | Updated: September 11, 2017 9:35 am
irma, Hurricane Irma, Irma Florida, Florida, Irma Live, Hurricane Irma Live, Live, Florida hurricane, Hurricane Irma Florida, Irma, Irma Updates, Indians in Florida, us hurricane, Atlantic hurricane, united states, world news, latest world news, Indian express news Floodwater fills Meadow Lane in Bonita Springs, Florida on Sunday as Hurricane Irma passes. (Source: AP photo)

Hurricane Irma knocked out power to nearly 4 million homes and businesses in Florida on Sunday, threatening millions more as it crept up the state’s west coast, and full restoration of service could take weeks, Reuters quoted local electric utilities as saying. Irma hit Florida on Sunday morning as a dangerous Category 4 storm, the second highest level on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, but by afternoon as it barreled up the west coast, it weakened to a Category 2 with maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour (177 kph).

According to the National Hurricane Centre, the wind gusts near hurricane force began to batter the Florida Keys late night on Saturday. Cuba has already been devastated by Irma and has killed at least 25 people in the Caribbean.

According to the National Hurricane Centre, Category 5 is the strongest intensity of a storm. Irma said to be the first ever storm to sustain winds of 185 miles per hour for longer than 24 hours in the open Atlantic Ocean can be devastating if it reaches its full glory. Click to see the devastation in pictures 

Here are LIVE updates of Hurricane Irma (According to IST):

8:57 am: Forecasters say they expert Irma’s center to stay inland over Florida and then move into Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.

8:49 am: The Florida Keys have been downgraded to Tropical Storm Warnings. 3-5 feet of storm surge possible.

8:36 pm: Hurricane Irma remains a dangerous Category 2 storm as it bears down on Tampa-St. Petersburg area.

8:04 pm: The NWS Key West staff is all safe and accounted for. NWS San Antonio is currently providing backup to ensure all services continue unimpeded.

8:01 am: The National Weather Service (NWS) tweeted, “We’ve been told that information from Monroe County officials are being disseminated to various Miami media outlets. We’ve been told that information from Monroe County officials are being disseminated to various Miami media outlets. We will attempt to re-tweet information regarding the impacts to the Florida Keys from verified and reliable sources.

8:00 am: Florida’s 45th Governor Rick Scott said, “The people of Florida are grateful for the outpour of support from 28 states and D.C. to help respond to Irma.”

7:34 am: Third construction crane reportedly fell because of Irma’s winds according to news agency AP. No injuries have been reported as of now.

7:10 am:

3:00 am: US President Donald Trump declares “major disaster” for Florida in wake of Hurricane

2:37 am:  Irma weakens to Category 2 hurricane as it approaches Naples, Florida; storm surges expected after eye passes.

2:15 am: Hurricane Irma brings fears of surge, sewers and toxins to the Tampa Bay area

1:28 am:  Irma makes landfall on Marco Island as Category 3 hurricane.

1:21 am: Tampa mayor declares indefinite curfew in Florida city starting at 6 p.m. Sunday.

1:11 am: Massive storm surge is being recorded in coast areas with gusting winds up to 130 mph.

12:50 am: As Irma approaches Naples the eye of the hurricane is still a category 3 with winds up to 120 mph.

Also Read: Indian-Americans open homes as hurricane Irma makes landfall in Florida (Read Here)

12:32 am: Naples braces for impact as center of Irma set to make landfall within hours.

12:16 am:  Vice President Mike Pence says, “Wherever Hurricane Irma goes, we’ll be there first, we’ll be there with resources and support, both to save lives and to help to recover and rebuild these states and these communities.”

12:04 am: President Donald Trump who is at Camp David was briefed on the on ground conditions in Florida through video conferencing. Trump was joined by Vice President Mike Pence and First Lady Melania Trump.

(Monday Updates)

11:49 pm: National Hurricane Center has now issued urgent warning, as the eye of hurricane Irma passes in next couple of hours water level will rise rapidly in minutes along the south west coast of Florida. People are advised to stay away from water.

11:44 pm: With hurricane Irma already worsening situation, a fast moving tornado is also being reported at Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

11:09 pm: As hurricane Irma approaches the southern portion of New York, Monroe county has been closed until further notice by authorities requesting evacuated residents to not return until further notice.

10:54 pm: At least 1.6 million Florida homes and businesses have lost power, according to Florida Power & Light and other utilities, reported Reuters.

10:47 pm: Helplines have been set up and special arrangements have been made by Indian Embassy and consulates throughout America for Indians who are evacuating or stuck in Hurricane Irma in Florida. Do contact these numbers for help.

(Source: Twitter/ @CGI_Atlanta)

10.39 pm: As the eye of Irma moves, Naples sustains winds at 48 mph gusting upto 76 mph. Wind speed likely to go upto 115 mph.

10:10 pm: There are reports of three deaths in Florida as the hurricane continues its assault on the southeastern US state, after making landfall around 9.10 am EDT, news agency AFP reported.

10:00 pm: National Weather Service in Miami issued extreme wind warning for Southwestern Collier County in southwestern Florida until 3.30 pm EDT. It also spelled out the precautionary measures that need to be taken in the present situation asking the people to get under sturdy furnitures and use mattresses, blankets or pillows to cover their heads and bodies.

9:45 pm: Water in Naples may rise to life-threatening levels, 10-15 ft above the ground as the hurricane moves in.

9:30 pm: The White House says US President Donald Trump along with  Vice President Mike Pence and several Cabinet members participated in the briefing from Camp David, the presidential retreat. Trump spent the weekend monitoring the storm with other administration officials who joined in from the White House or Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington. Click here to read more.

9:15 pm: 

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9:00 pm: According to National Weather Service (Key West), Florida Keys remains under threat as the west winds which continue to blow may cause the storm surge to increase 5-10 ft above ground level.

8:50 pm:

8:40 pm: The center of Irma has moved just north of Florida Keys, National Weather Service (Key West) reported. Wind gusts ranging between 70-90+mph continue over Keys. The situation remains dangerous as life-threatening storm surge persists.

Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Irma Florida, Irma, Irma Updates (Source: Twitter/NWS Key West)

8:30 pm: Meanwhile, there are also update coming in on hurricane Jose with NASA  sharing a satellite image of the hurricane moving past the Leeward Islands.

Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Irma Florida, Irma, Irma Updates At 8 am AST/EDT (1200 UTC), the eye of Hurricane Jose was located near 21.2 degrees north latitude and 65.3 degrees longitude, about 250 miles (400 km) north-northwest of the Northern Leeward lslands. (Source: NASA)

8:25 pm: The National Hurricane Center issued an advisory informing people of the storm moving towards the Southwest Florida Coast.

8:20 pm: The eye of catastrophic hurricane Irma has moved north of the Keys where it had reached around 9 am EDT.

8:10 pm:

8:00 pm: US President Donald Trump spoke to governors of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee over the telephone about hurricane Irma on Sunday, the White House said.

7:45 pm:  According to National Weather Service (Key West), the total water level is now 3 feet above normal at Key West.

Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Irma Florida, Irma, Irma Updates Observed Water Levels (Source: Twitter/NWS Key West)

7:30 pm: Eye of hurricane Irma is beginning to move away from lower Florida Keys after making landfall at Cudjoe Keys.

6:50 pm: Hurricane Irma makes landfall at Cudjoe Key in Lower Florida Keys.

6:40 pm:

6:30 pm: The eye of hurricane Irma reached Lower Keys Florida at 9 am EDT.

6:15 pm: National Weather Service of Miami, asking people to stay away from windows, tweeted out a warning, “High rise buildings likely experiencing wind gusts close to 100 mph. Stay away from windows!”

6:10 pm:

6:00 pm: The Indian embassy in the United States has opened a 24-hour helpline number (202-258-8819), and rushed senior diplomats to Atlanta to lead relief efforts for Indian-Americans stuck in the region hit by the hurricane. The Indian Consulate in Atlanta also tweeted outed helpline numbers (+14044052567 & +1678179393). External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted 24X7 helpline at High Commission of India, Kingston (+1876 833 4500; +1876 564 1378).

The Indian embassy in Venezuela tweeted the helpline number (00297-593-2552) in Aruba for the situation in Sint Maarten. The helpline numbers in Curacao, a Dutch Caribbean island, is 005999-513-2407; 005999-690-2686.

The Indian embassy in the Netherlands also offered aid saying those affected by Irma can reach them on: 0031643743800. Those in seeking help in Cuba, Dominican Republic and Haiti can contact Indian authorities on emergency no. +5352131818 or email them at: controlroomindiairma@gmail.com.

5:50 pm: National Weather Service (Key West) has strictly advised people to stay inside even if the winds calm down.

5:35 pm: Rescue teams are not able to respond due to the extreme winds, Miami Beach informed people advising them to stay indoors.

5:30 pm:

5:28 pm: The eye of hurricane Irma was 20 miles from ESE Key West at 8 am EDT and is expected to move over the Lower Florida Keys soon

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5:25 pm: Hurricane Irma Advisory 45A: Center of Irma About to Make Landfall in the Lower Florida Keys

5:20 pm:

5:15 pm: “Key West office is experiencing frequent gusts 80-90MPH. Eye still sitting just offshore to our ENE,” National Weather Service (Key West) tweeted.

5:10 pm: Sustained winds measuring around 45 mph were recorded across Miami metropolitan area. Wind gusts are now ranging between 60-70 mph, according to National Weather Service, Miami.

5:07 pm: Florida governor will also appear on Good Morning America at 7:30 am EDT to address the people over the issue of the approaching catastrophic storm

5:05 pm: Fort Lauderdale located on the southeastern coast of Florida recorded the maximum rainfall of over 7 inches.

5:02 pm:  The Miami International Airport recorded a wind gust of 68 mph at 7:13 am EDT

5:00 pm: “Tamiami Airport in West Kendall just recorded wind gust of 72 mph,” National Weather Service, Miami reported.

4:55 pm: The people have been warned to turn off or disconnect the electrical appliances which were being used when the power went out. The appliances may get damaged due to surges as power comes back.

4:50 pm: Florida Governor Rick Scott will discuss the approaching hurricane on FOX channel at 7:15 am

4:40 pm: 

4:35 pm: Northern eyewall of hurricane Irma reaches the Lower Florida Keys.

4:30 pm:  Florida Governor Rick Scott will be address the people on news channel TODAY at 7 am to talk about the hurricane

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4:20 pm: Radar loop shows eyewall of Hurricane Irma moving into lower Keys. Strong rainbands continue to batter South Florida.

4:10 pm: In its latest warning, the National Weather Service (Key West) has alerted people of extreme winds for Lower Keys in Monroe County in Florida until 9.15 am EDT. Calling it “an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation”, the NWS Key West has asked people to consider the winds equivalent to those during a tornado and immediately take cover to save their lives.

4:00 pm:

3:50 pm:

3:40 pm: The National Weather Service (Key West) has warned of of the extreme winds and swaths of tornado-like damage.

3:30 pm:

3:20 pm: 

3:15 pm: National Weather Service (Key West), issuing a warning for people to stay indoors, tweeted, “Extreme, hurricane-force winds are imminent in the Lower . If you are here, please go to interior room away from windows!”

3:10 pm: Only six Category 4+ hurricanes have tracked within 75 miles of Key West in the historical record. Irma will be the first since Donna 1960.

3:00 pm: The United States is facing a second consecutive category 4 hurricane as Irma comes just days after Hurricane Harvey caused catastrophic rains in Texas leading to huge loss of live and property. It was one of the costliest natural disasters in US history.

2:48 pm: Hurricane Irma is about 40 miles (65 km) South-Southeast of Key West Florida. Maximum sustained winds are 130 mph (210 kph), says NHC

2:14 pm:  The Indian Embassy in US has started a hotline number (202-258-8819) to provide assistance.

Indian Consulate Atlanta is running 24×7 helpline. The numbers are +14044052567 and +1678179393.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted 24×7 helpline at High Commission of India, Kingston (+1876 833 4500; +1876 564 1378). He also tweeted email ids for Indians to contact in case of emergency.(hc.kingston@mea.gov.in; hoc.kingston@mea.gov.in)

2:04 pm: The National Weather Service, Keys West, taking to Twitter said, “It is time to hunker down. The worst winds are yet to come.” It has also advised people not to venture out and take shelter in an interior room, away from the windows. People are also advised to have their shoes on and use pillows, blankets, helmets etc to protect themselves from flying debris.

1:56 pm:

1:50 pm: Florida Governor Rick Scott taking to Twitter said, “The eye of Hurricane Irma is approaching the lower Florida Keys- expected to make landfall in the next few hours.”

1:28 pm: According to National Weather Service, Keys West, storm surge has begun to impact Key West. The total water level is now 2 feet above normal.

Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Irma Florida, Irma, Irma Updates Observed water levels. (Source: Twitter/National Weather Service, Keys West)

1:10 pm:

12:50 pm: According to National Hurricane Centre’s report at 3:00 am local time, National Ocean Service on Pulaski Shoals Light recorded a sustained wind of 62 mph (100 kph) with a gust to 76 mph (122 kph). Miami Executive Airport just measured a sustained wind of 46 mph (74 kph) with a gust of 61 mph (98 kph).

12:15 pm: The Indian embassy has opened a round-the-clock helpline number and was rushing senior diplomats to Atlanta to lead relief efforts for Indian-Americans stuck in the region according to PTI.

The Indian Friends of Atlanta – in association with the Consulate-General of India, the Gujarat Samaj Atlanta and the Hindu Temple of Atlanta – has announced to operationalise three shelters. They were preparing to open more shelters and provide accommodation and food as several Indian businesses started contributing to relief efforts.

Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna was closely monitoring the situation, officials said. Sandeep Chakravorty, India’s consul-general in New York, was monitoring the situation through a 24X7 control room set up in Atlanta, as reported by PTI.

12:06 pm: Florida Governor Rick Scott has urged people to stay indoors and away from the windows as Hurricane Irma inches closer.

11:40 am: Irma, has picked up intensity and is now a Category 4 Hurricane according to National Hurricane Centre. The storm is also getting closer to Lower Florida Keys.

11:05 am: A National Ocean Service Station in Vaca Key, Florida sustained 41 mph (67kph) with a gust to 74 mph (119 kph) at 1 am, local time. A National Ocean Service Station located in Key West, Florida recently indicated a tide level 1.5 ft above MHHW, according to an update by National Hurricane Centre.

10:50 am:

10:40 am: Arrangements were also made to evacuate animals. Five dolphins were moved from the Florida Keys to Central Florida in advance of the storm, but most zoos and the like in the Miami area said they were trying to keep their animals in place and secure from whatever Irma will bring.

Hundreds of thoroughbreds were moved from low-lying areas of Gulfstream Park, near Miami, to other training facilities and barns farther north. Some animal shelters were relocating dogs and cats to safer facilities.

In Key West, when inmates were moved out of Monroe County Jail, 250 animals were moved in. According to officials, the jail cells are much safer for the animals than their regular farm quarters.

10:30 am: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, meanwhile, on Saturday tweeted, “Hurricane Irma — Our missions in Caracas, Havana, Georgetown and Port of Spain have reported that all Indian nationals there are safe.” In order to ensure safety of its people, the Indian embassy in US has started emergency visa and passport services at Indian consulates.

10:26 am: About 60 Indian nationals are being evacuated from the vacation island of St Martin in the Caribbean, as reported by PTI.

Most of the Indian nationals have a transit visa. For those who do not have a transit visa, Indian Embassy in Washington is in touch with the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security for getting them one, so that they can take the first available flight to the US and then travel back home.

Deputy Indian Ambassador to US Santosh Jha said over the last 48 hours the main preoccupation has been to get in touch with Indians in all parts of southern US and in the islands in the western Atlantic. “And think we should today recognise that they are in the situation of great difficulty,” he said. “We had (hurricane) Harvey just the previous month in Houston and today we are trying to cope up with the Hurricane Irma in Florida. The entire embassy since this morning has been working on that,” he said.

10:15 am: While thousands are fleeing as Irma picks up strength, few Miami beach residents refused to join the evacuation process, according to a news report in AP. “I know the town, I live in South Beach. It’s my island,” said Phillip, 39, who only gave his first name. “I’m not leaving it. I’m just gonna go where it’s not getting flooded,” he added, pointing to the bench where he was sitting.

Scott Abraham, a real estate agent in his early 40s, had a better plan: wait out the storm on the fifth floor of his seven-floor beachfront apartment with his wife and two kids. “If I lived in a house I would have left, but if it gets flooded here it’s going to take a week at least to come back. I don’t want that.

10:05 am: President Donald Trump, taking to Twitter tried to assure the citizens saying, “The US Coast Guard, FEMA and all Federal and State brave people are ready. Here comes Irma. God bless everyone!”

9:55 am: According to the National Hurricane Centre, Irma might gain strength if the centre of the storm keeps moving over warm Gulf of Mexico water. The storm currently has top sustained winds of 120 mph (193 kph) and is moving northward at about 6 mph (10 kph).

9:40 am: A National Ocean Service Station in Molasses Reef, Florida, sustained winds of 54 mph (87 kph) with a gust of 62 mph (100 kph). Key West recently reported sustained winds of 41 mph (67 kph) with a gust of 68 mph (109 kph), according to National Weather Service (Key West).

9:35 am: Warning that Irma would be worse than Hurricane Andrew –which killed 65 people in 1992 — Scott, Florida’s governor, said all 20.6 million Floridians should prepare to flee. “We are running out of time. If you are in an evacuation zone, you need to go now. This is a catastrophic storm like our state has never seen,” Governor Rick Scott told reporters according to Reuters. This was also reiterated by President Donald Trump.

9:30 am: Hurricane Irma’s center shifts west to gain more strength. The storm is now aiming for St. Petersburg, not Tampa, according to AP

9:15 am: According to National Hurricane Centre, Hurricane Irma is expected to cause 10 to 15 feet of inundation above the ground level along the southwest coast of Florida. Wind hazards of Irma are also expected to spread northward through much of Georgia as well as through portions of Carolina and Alabama.

8:58 am:

Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Irma Florida, Irma, Irma Updates Hurricane Irma: Waves crash against the Southernmost Point in Key West, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2017. Hurricane Irma’s leading edge bent palm trees and spit rain as the storm swirled toward Florida on Saturday. (AP)

8:53 am: Florida Power and Light. on its website said that more than half of those outages were in the Miami-Dade area, where about 600,000 people have been ordered to evacuate. The company has also added that it expects millions of people to lose power, with some areas experiences prolonged outages. It has also assembled the largest pre-storm workforce in U.S. history, with more than 16,000 people ready to respond, according to a report in AP.

8:45 am: The hurricane is expected to hit Florida, the fourth most-populated US state on Sunday morning according to the local time. More than 6 million people in Florida and Georgia were warned to leave their homes.

8:40 am: More than 170K homes and businesses without power in Florida as Irma, with winds of 120 mph (190 kph), closes in (AP)

8:36 am: Irma was a category 5 storm when it crashed into Cuba. It gradually weakened to category 3 storm but is expected to strengthen before hitting Florida.

8:24 am: Calling Irma, a “storm of enormous destructive power”, US President Donald Trump asked “everyone in the storm path to heed all instructions, get out of its way.” “Property is replaceable but lives are not and safety has to come first,” he said.

8:13 am: According to The National Weather Service, the first hurricane-force wind gust has been recorded in the Florida Keys. The service says the Smith Shoal Light station recorded a 74 mph (119 kph) wind gust on Saturday night.The center of Irma is headed toward the Keys and has sustained winds of 120 mph (193.11 kph) as reported by AP at 10:15 pm local time.

(Sunday Updates)

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