Jutros je oko ove potencijalno katastrofalne oluje pogodilo Barbudu samo nekoliko sati nakon službenog upozorenja ljudima i poruke da potraže zaklon. To je službeno obraćanje stanovništvu završilo riječima 'Neka nas Bog sve zaštiti', javlja Daily Mail.
Preporuka ljudima da se skriju u skloništa
Jaka kiša i vjetar potresli su i susjedni otok Antiguu, gdje su stvari letjele uokolo, a ljudi se skrivali u svojim domovima ili službenim skloništima.
Američki je predsjednik Donald Trump proglasio izvanredno stanje za Floridu, Portoriko i Američke Djevičanske otoke, dok su vlasti na Bahamima rekle da će evakuirati stanovništvo šest otoka na južnom kraju tog otočja.
Stručnjaci kažu da je Irma sada toliko snažna da se pokazuje i na uređajima namijenjenima za otkrivanje potresa. Znanstvenici su zamijetili pozadinsku buku vjetra na seizmometrima koji je uzrokovao padanje stabala i oceanske valove.
Osim Irme, tropska oluja Jose također se formirala iza nje, na otvorenom Atlantskom oceanu, daleko od kopna. Jose je deseta tropska oluja ove sezone.
A couple walks on a beach as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in San Juan, on September 5, 2017. In Puerto Rico, a US territory of 3.5 million, Governor Ricardo Rossello activated the National Guard and announced the opening of storm shelters able to house up to 62,000 people. The major of the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, ordered 900 municipal employees -- police, emergency personnel, and aid and social workers -- to report for rotating 12-hour shifts.Even if Puerto Rico is spared a direct hit, the mayor said, three days of pounding rain will do heavy damage. / AFP PHOTO / Ricardo ARDUENGO
People put boards on their windows as part of preparations for arrival of Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017 in Grand-Case, on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin. Irma strengthened on September 5, 2017 into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five hurricane, meteorologists warned, with tiny tourist islands first in line for possible devastation as it barrelled towards the Caribbean. Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin islands, both popular holiday destinations, are expected to be especially hard hit. / AFP PHOTO / Lionel CHAMOISEAU
Bonjour Food Market prepares for Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017 in Miami. The monster hurricane coming on the heels of Harvey, which struck Texas and Louisiana late last month, is expected to hit a string of Caribbean islands including Guadeloupe late Tuesday before heading to Haiti and Florida. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Irma had strengthened to the most powerful Category Five, packing winds of 180 miles (280 kilometers) per hour. / AFP PHOTO / Michele Eve Sandberg
Stručnjaci kažu da je uragan Irma snagu dobio zbog neobično toplog mora u tom dijelu Atlantika. Dodaju i da postoji rastuća mogućnost da bi se utjecaj ove oluje mogao osjetiti i na Floridi potkraj tjedna i tijekom vikenda, iako je još uvijek prerano da bi se znalo buduće kretanje oluje.
'Svi u dosegu uragana trebali bi imati spreman plan za taj slučaj', rečeno je.
Izvanredno stanje za Florida Keys
Do sada je izvanredno stanje prograšeno na Floridi i u tijeku je evakuacija područja Florida Keysa. Tamo je do daljnjeg odgođena i nastava u školama.
Vlasti su upozorile da bi moglo biti jako mnogo kiše koja bi mogla uzrokovati odrone i klizišta, kao i poplave te iznimno visoke valove. Već su započele evakuacije, a vlasti upozoravaju ljude da što prije završe sve pripreme. Na otocima, uključujući i Portoriko, police u trgovinama već su prazne.
'Odluke koje donesemo u idućih nekoliko sati mogu značiti razliku između života i smrti. Ovo je vrlo opasna oluja', rekao je guverner Portorika, Ricardo Rossello.
Stanovnici američke istočne obale motre napredak oluje za slučaj da se ona okrene prema Floridi, Georgiji te Južnoj i Sjevernoj Karolini.
'Ovaj uragan ima potencijal da bude najveći na Istočnoj obali. Ima potencijal i da značajno iscijedi državna sredstva iz vladine agencije za takve slučajeve.
Sandbags are placed in front of doors and boarded up windows as part of preparations for arrival of Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017 in Simpson Bay, on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin. Irma strengthened on September 5, 2017 into a "potentially catastrophic" Category Five hurricane, meteorologists warned, with tiny tourist islands first in line for possible devastation as it barrelled towards the Caribbean. Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin islands, both popular holiday destinations, are expected to be especially hard hit. / AFP PHOTO / Lionel CHAMOISEAU
A picture taken on September 5, 2017 in Orient Bay, on the French overseas island of Saint-Martin, shows a bungalow tied up and protected by a sand seawall on a beach, as part of the preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Irma. Ferocious Hurricane Irma bears down on the eastern Caribbean with strong winds and potential for huge storm surges, prompting people to pack into shelters, stock up on essentials and evacuate tourist areas as far north of Florida. / AFP PHOTO / Lionel CHAMOISEAU
Police u trgovinama već su prazne
Guverner Floride Rick Scott proglasio je za svih 67 okruga u državi izvanredno stanje nakon što su prognoze pokazale da bi ova snažna oluja mogla doći do istočne obale.
'Uragan Irma velika je i prijeteća oluja i Florida se mora pripremiti', rekao je Scott i dodao da će diljem države biti razmješteno 100 vojnih trupa i oko sedam tisuća članova Nacionalne garde.
Na Floridi su već ispražnjene police trgovina, s kojih uglavnom nestaje voda i osnovne potrepštine.
Shoppers at Costco waited up to eight hours for water and essentials in preparation for Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017 in North Miami. The monster hurricane coming on the heels of Harvey, which struck Texas and Louisiana late last month, is expected to hit a string of Caribbean islands including Guadeloupe late Tuesday before heading to Haiti and Florida. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Irma had strengthened to the most powerful Category Five, packing winds of 180 miles (280 kilometers) per hour. / AFP PHOTO / Michele Eve Sandberg
People in line at Costco waiting for bottled water find out Costco ran out of water on September 5, 2017 in North Miami. The monster hurricane coming on the heels of Harvey, which struck Texas and Louisiana late last month, is expected to hit a string of Caribbean islands including Guadeloupe late Tuesday before heading to Haiti and Florida. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Irma had strengthened to the most powerful Category Five, packing winds of 180 miles (280 kilometers) per hour. / AFP PHOTO / Michele Eve Sandberg
Šezdesetogodišnja Theresa Webster iz Fort Lauderdalea pokušala je kupiti zalihe vode, no rekla je da su police bile prazne kad je ona stigla u trgovinu, a kupila je i konzerve tune, krekere i kruh.
Water shelves are empty in a supermarket in Miami Beach, where people are scrambling to buy provisions on September 5, 2017. Tourists in Key West are packing their bags on a mandatory evacuation order as Hurricane Irma, a potent Category 5 storm, churns toward the island chain off south Florida, officials said Tuesday. Visitors are expected to begin leaving at sunrise Wednesday, and an order for residents will soon follow, said a statement from Monroe County, which includes the popular resort island of Key West.Further north, schools across Miami-Dade County will be closed Thursday and Friday, and more evacuation orders could follow, officials said. / AFP PHOTO / Leila MACOR
Costco ran out of water as people shop to prepare for Hurricane Irma on September 5, 2017 in North Miami. The monster hurricane coming on the heels of Harvey, which struck Texas and Louisiana late last month, is expected to hit a string of Caribbean islands including Guadeloupe late Tuesday before heading to Haiti and Florida. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Irma had strengthened to the most powerful Category Five, packing winds of 180 miles (280 kilometers) per hour. / AFP PHOTO / Michele Eve Sandberg
U Portoriku kažu da bi oluja mogla neka područja ostaviti bez struje tijekom četiri do šest mjeseci, dok će se u neka područja struja vratiti za manje od tjedan dana.
Irma je dosegla 4. kategoriju opasnosti u ponedjeljak, a već u utorak vjetar je puhao brzinom većom od 240 kilometara na sat. U usporedbi, uragan Harvey donio je vjetar koji je puhao brzinom oko 209 kilometara na sat kad je prošlog tjedna pogodio Teksas.
Meteorolozi kažu da je sve moguće, pa i to da Irma pogodi savezne države Georgiju, Floridu i obje Caroline, a postoji i mogućnost, iako malo vjerojatna, da oluja potpuno zaobiđe Istočnu obalu.
Stotine je letova na Karibima otkazano, a kruzeri i turistički brodovi preusmjeravaju se kako bi ostali što dalje od oluje.
A couple walks on a beach as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in San Juan, on September 5, 2017. In Puerto Rico, a US territory of 3.5 million, Governor Ricardo Rossello activated the National Guard and announced the opening of storm shelters able to house up to 62,000 people. The major of the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, ordered 900 municipal employees -- police, emergency personnel, and aid and social workers -- to report for rotating 12-hour shifts.Even if Puerto Rico is spared a direct hit, the mayor said, three days of pounding rain will do heavy damage. / AFP PHOTO / Ricardo ARDUENGO
The sun sets over the mountains as hurricane Irma approaches Puerto Rico in Fajardo on September 5, 2017. In Puerto Rico, a US territory of 3.5 million, Governor Ricardo Rossello activated the National Guard and announced the opening of storm shelters able to house up to 62,000 people. The major of the Puerto Rican capital San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, ordered 900 municipal employees -- police, emergency personnel, and aid and social workers -- to report for rotating 12-hour shifts.Even if Puerto Rico is spared a direct hit, the mayor said, three days of pounding rain will do heavy damage. / AFP PHOTO / Ricardo ARDUENGO
