Irma weakens but still wreaks chaos

Summary

Nearly two-thirds of homes in Florida are without power
Four storm-related deaths have been reported so far in Florida
The weakening storm is crossing into Georgia
At least 37 people were killed as Irma rolled across the Caribbean

Live Reporting

Matthew Davis

Naples braces for Irmapublished at 18:19 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
The National Weather Service has warned Naples of extreme winds and large water surges as the eye of the storm moves toward the city.
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Three dead as Irma hits Floridapublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
A sheriff's deputy was one of three people killed in Irma-related deaths.
Deputy Julie Bridges, 42, died in a head-on collision in Hardee County, located east of Sarasota, early on Sunday.
She was driving home to get supplies after working at a shelter all night when the crash occurred, Sheriff Arnold Lanier said.
She was the mother of a young son and had worked at the sheriff's department for 13 years.
The other driver, a corrections officer who was on his way to work, was also killed.
The third fatality was a man who died on Saturday near Key West when his truck crashed into a tree, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
Waters rising in downtown Miamipublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
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Two rescued aboard a sailing boat as Irma pummels Floridapublished at 17:52 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Though emergency services have been suspended as Irma hits Florida, some emergency responders risked their lives to save those stranded in the powerful storm.
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Recovery efforts in Cubapublished at 17:47 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
The BBC's Will Grant is on the ground in Cuba, where "significant damage" has been reported.
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10,000 National Guard troops to head to Floridapublished at 17:35 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Image source, Reuters
Governor Scott said 2,000 National Guard troops have been activated across the state and an additional 10,000 troops from other states will arrive in the coming days to help with recovery efforts.
More than 1.4 million without powerpublished at 17:33 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
There are more than 1.4 million homes and businesses without power in Florida, the state's largest electricity supplier said, as it warned repairs could take weeks.
Florida Power & Light said it had already restored electricity to around 300,000 homes and businesses, according to Reuters news agency.
But FPL spokesman Rob Gould warned others could be waiting far longer:
Quote Message
We will have to rebuild part of our system, particularly in the western part of the state. That restoration process will be measured in weeks, not days."
Florida governor: "You need to stay in a safe place"published at 17:30 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Governor Rick Scott said Florida has received direct support from 16 US states.
"You need to stay in a safe place," he warned residents as heavy winds lashed the state's southern coast on Sunday.
He said Irma could bring a 15-foot storm surge along the state's west coast.
"The storm surge could rush in and could kill you," he said.
The eye of the storm is now 80 miles south of Naples and is expected to hit the Naples and Fort Myer area this afternoon, he said.
The areas of south Florida and the Florida Keys have already had up to 12 inches of rain across the state and are expected to see an additional eight to 15 inches.
He said he had requested a major disaster declaration from President Trump.
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Flooding in Miami's financial districtpublished at 17:12 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
The Weather Channel's Mike Seidel tweets the water is up to two feet (60cm) in parts.
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Timelapse video of Hurricane Irma arriving on the Biscayne Baypublished at 17:04 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
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Florida Keys bay drained by Irmapublished at 17:03 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Remarkable footage shows how Hurricane Irma has drained the bay in Key Largo, Florida.
Media caption,
Hurricane Irma: Storm drains bay in Florida Keys
A similar phenomenon was also seen in the Bahamas on Saturday.
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So why is this happening? We asked BBC meteorologist Clive Mills-Hicks to explain:
Hurricane Irma was almost certainly responsible for the lowering sea levels observed.
Two factors are at work in a hurricane.
First, the fierce winds not only create huge waves they also actually push and pull the surface layers of the ocean on a regional scale, piling it up in some areas - raising the sea level there - and, inevitably, drawing it away from others, which is what was happening in parts of the Bahamas.
The second factor is the very low atmospheric pressure in the centre of Hurricane Irma – the weight of the air pushing down on the sea is much reduced, allowing it rise up. But adjacent areas will see a consequent drop in sea level as the water is “drawn upwards” under the cyclone centre.
Much the same phenomenon is evident with tsunamis where, as the tsunami approaches, water is drawn back from a beach to effectively help feed the wave. So the sea level drops.
What to do (and not to do) after Irma hitspublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Local authorities are sharing safety tips as Irma begins battering the coast of Florida.
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Tampa Bay "at ground zero" for Irmapublished at 16:46 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Tampa Bay Mayor Bob Buckhorn has issued a mandatory 6pm EDT (22:00 GMT) curfew in one of the state's most densely populated areas.
“We know we are ground zero for this storm. We have avoided it for 90 winds but our time has come to be ready,” he wrote on Twitter., external
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“If you are out on the streets after 6:00pm we will direct you to get inside. We are taking this curfew very seriously,” he continued., external
“We will not be able to come help you if the winds are sustained at 40mph or greater. We cannot put our first responders at risk.”
The Washington Post reported, external earlier this year that Tampa's "metropolitan area is the most vulnerable in the United States to flooding and damage if a major hurricane ever scores a direct hit".
Scenes from Miamipublished at 16:26 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Footage posted on Twitter shows flooded roadways and high winds as residents brace for Irma.
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Irma still a category four stormpublished at 16:22 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Hurricane Irma is now about 80 miles (130km) south-south-east of Naples, and moving north of the Florida Keys at a speed of 9mph (14km/h).
But the National Weather Center is warning that "catastrophic, life-threatening wind and storm surges continue across the Florida Keys".
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This is not advised...published at 16:20 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Image source, Getty Images
And no, we don't know why this man is taking his motorcycle for a ride through Bonita Springs, Florida, without his shirt on as Irma heads straight for him.
Rubio: Irma is 'our biggest fear'published at 16:14 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
Senator Marco Rubio said a powerful storm hitting south-west Florida has always been "our biggest fear" as the area braces for Hurricane Irma.
The politician, who has stayed in his home in Miami, told CNN he was concerned about Irma intensifying as it headed into the area.
"That has always been our biggest fear - a massive storm hitting into that region, pushing all that water in there, plus the wind," he said.
He added: "The worst is yet to come for south-east Florida... but south-west Florida? This is a very disturbing chain of events."
Hear the rest of the interview below:
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Reports of ocean receding ahead of forecast storm surgespublished at 16:12 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
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Satellite image shows Irma's landfall in the Florida Keyspublished at 16:08 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
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All of southern Florida at risk of tornadoespublished at 16:00 British Summer Time 10 September 2017
The US National Weather Service has issued renewed advice, and confirmed all of southern Florida is now under "Tornado Watch" conditions.
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