Hurricane Michael: Trump warns storm is 'more intense than Florence' as ‘life-threatening’ surges and floods predicted in Florida and Alabama
Residents warned help may not come in aftermath of ‘monstrous’ storm
Authorities have warned that Hurricane Michael is likely to become a “monstrous” major storm by Tuesday night before it smashes into Florida on Wednesday. Forecasters fear it will bring “life-threatening” storm surges and flash flooding – and potentially even tornadoes.
States of emergency have been declared for swathes of Florida and Alabama as the storm pounded the Gulf of Mexico and eastern Carribean with winds up to 90mph – which are expected to hit 111mph before Michael makes landfall in northern Florida.
The National Hurricane Centre warned of storms surges up to 12ft and issued a string of alerts for coastal sites. On the Panhandle, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan advised residents that “if you decide to stay in your home and a tree falls on your house or the storm surge catches you ... there’s no-one that can respond to help you”.
Governor Rick Scott called Michael a “monstrous hurricane” with a devastating potential from high winds, storm surge and heavy rains.
Mr Scott declared a state of emergency for 35 Florida counties from the Panhandle to Tampa Bay, activated hundreds of Florida National Guard members and waived tolls to encourage those near the coast to evacuate inland.
Kay Ivey, the governor of Alabama, put the entire state under an emergency declaration and said she feared widespread power outages and other problems from the storm.
Cuba is currently bracing for heavy rain and winds from Michael.
It comes just a few weeks after Hurricane Florence devastated parts of the Carolinas with a deluge of rain and massive storm surges.
We'll have live updates tomorrow as the weather event makes landfall.
Additional reporting by agencies
Forecasters say Georgia could see evacuations and rescues as Hurricane Michael brings torrents of rain across the state.
The National Weather Service said Tuesday that central Georgia could see wind gusts as high as 60 mph (97 kph), with the strongest winds south of Columbus and Macon. And rainfall in Georgia could range from 3-5 inches (8-13 centimeters), with locally higher amounts of up to 7 inches (18 centimeters).
The storm has strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane with top wind speeds of 100 mph (155 kph) and is expected to grow stronger before hitting the Florida coast Wednesday. Then it's expected to move over Alabama and Georgia Wednesday and the Carolinas and Virginia on Thursday.
AP
Hurricane Michael has gained strength as it churns towards the northeast Gulf Coast of Florida. Forecasters have warned the storm, expected to make landfall by Wednesday, could reach Category 3 with winds over 111 miles per hour.
As Hurricane Michael continues to gather strength as it barrels towards the US mainland, a tropical depression has formed in the Atlantic Ocean that is expected to develop into a storm by Wednesday, called Nadine.
The fifteenth tropical depression to form this season was not expected to have any immediate threat to land, weather agencies reported.
Hurricane Michael is on track to become a Category 3 storm by the time it makes landfall in Florida’s northeast Gulf Coast, bringing ‘life-threatening’ conditions to surrounding areas, forecasters and weather agencies have reported.
Hurricane Michael has gained strength as it churns towards the northeast Gulf Coast of Florida. Forecasters have warned the storm, expected to make landfall by Wednesday, was expected to reach Category 3 with winds over 111 miles per hour.
Residents are evacuating from coastal regions across Florida’s Gulf Coast as the Category 2 storm gains new strength.
Mario Gilbert, city manager of Panama City Beach, told CNN, “"We saw people leaving town which was absolutely wonderful. The mandatory evacuation starts today at 6 a.m. but when people start to leave as early as yesterday ... it helps the congestion.”
Andrew Gillum, mayor of Tallahassee and a Democratic candidate for governor of Florida, has been monitoring Hurricane Michael as it churns towards the state’s northeast region of the Gulf Coast.
Donald Trump has tweeted about the oncoming Hurricane Michael as it barrels towards Florida, writing, “FLORIDA - It is imperative that you heed the directions of your State and Local Officials. Please be prepared, be careful and be SAFE!”
Tens of thousands of people were told to evacuate coastal areas in at least 20 counties in Florida as the storm moved over the Gulf of Mexico, carrying winds of 100 miles per hour (155 km per hour) and disrupting oil production.
Michael could grow to a Category 3 storm on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale before it makes landfall on Wednesday over the Florida Panhandle or the state’s Big Bend area, where the state capital of Tallahassee is located, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast. If so, it would rank as the most powerful storm to strike the Panhandle in at least a decade.
Reuters
Florida Governor Rick Scott announced on Twitter that he is monitoring Hurricane Michael at the State Emergency Operations Centre.
“The window of time to prepare is closing,” the governor wrote on Tuesday. “This is a serious and life-threatening situation- don’t take any chances.”
He added, “If you have been told to evacuate, leave.”
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