Hurricane Irma Update: Florida on watch, Three more dead in Puerto Rico as one million are without power
Florida is on high alert and has ordered evacuations, while the Carolinas and Georgia have also declared emergencies as Hurricane Irma rages closer. Now three deaths have been reported in Puerto Rico with more than 1 million people without power on the island.
Irma, a Category 5 storm, had maximum sustained wind speeds of 185mph, according to the US National Hurricane Centre. At least eight people on France’s island territories have lost their lives, and images showed the island of Saint Martin devastated by wind and floodwater.
NASA photo Hurricane Irma
“It will be difficult to estimate how long the power outage will last,” Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said Thursday.
Five additional inches were expected across Puerto Rico, increasing the dangers of landslides, he said.
In the capital of San Juan, waves of up to 30 feet were reported at the height of the storm.
The governor said he had spoken with President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and White House chief of staff John Kelly, all of whom expressed their solidarity and support.
In a Thursday morning tweet, Trump said Irma “is raging but we have great teams of talented and brave people already in place and ready to help.”
Trump asked people to “be careful, be safe!”
“Though this event was strong, it certainly could have had a greater impact,” Rosselló said at a news conference.
