US braced for killer storm’s arrival
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HURRICANE Matthew, the fiercest Caribbean storm in nearly a decade, strengthened as it barreled toward the southeastern United States yesterday after killing at least 69 people, mostly in Haiti, on its deadly northward march.
As Matthew blew through the northwestern Bahamas en route to Florida’s Atlantic coast, its winds increased to 220 kilometers per hour, the US National Hurricane Center said.
That made it an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane and it was likely to remain so as it approached the United States, where it could either take direct aim at Florida or brush along the state’s coast through today night, the center said.
At least 65 people were killed in Haiti and thousands were displaced after the storm smashed homes and inundated neighborhoods earlier in the week.
The National Hurricane Center extended its hurricane warning area farther north into South Carolina and more than 12 million US residents were under hurricane watches and warnings, according to the Weather Channel.
Roads in Florida, Georgia and North and South Carolina were jammed and gas stations and food stores ran out of supplies as the storm approached, carrying with it strong storm surges, heavy rain and high winds.
The damage could be “catastrophic” if the hurricane slammed directly into Florida, Governor Rick Scott warned, urging some 1.5 million people in the state to heed evacuation orders.
“If you’re reluctant to evacuate, just think about all the people who have been killed,” Scott told a news conference yesterday. “Time is running out. This is clearly either going to have a direct hit or come right along the coast and we’re going to have hurricane-force winds.”
Scott, who activated several thousand National Guard troops to help deal with the storm, warned that millions of people were likely to be left without power.
With an expected storm surge of up to 2.7 meters, he said people should stay away from beaches. “Do not go on the beach,” he said. “This will kill you.”
The four US states in the path of the hurricane declared states of emergency, a move empowering their governors to mobilize the National Guard.
Shelters in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina were opened for evacuees. Federal emergency response teams were coordinating with officials in all four states and stockpiling supplies.
In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest encouraged residents in the path of the storm to heed warnings from local governments about evacuations and seeking shelter.
Schools and airports across the region were closed yesterday and some hospitals were evacuated, according to local media.
Hundreds of flights were canceled in and out of the Florida cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, industry website Flightaware.com said.
In Nassau, which is on New Providence, it was raining steadily yesterday morning and high winds were bucking palm trees. Minor damage to roofs was reported but there was no flooding yet or reports of injuries.
On Tuesday and Wednesday Matthew, the strongest hurricane in the Caribbean since Felix struck Central America in 2007, had whipped Cuba and Haiti with 225 kph winds and torrential rain, pummeling towns and destroying livestock, crops and homes. The devastation in Haiti prompted authorities to postpone a presidential election.
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