Hurricane Irma UPDATE: First signs of devastation after huge storm batters St Maarten

September 06, 2017 11:22 AM
PHILIPSBURG - Hurricane Irma has shown its first signs of devastation after shocking video emerged of the havoc wreaked by the Category 5 storm on the Caribbean island of St Maarten.
Hurricane Irma, the most powerful recorded hurricane to hit the Atlantic Ocean, battered the Caribbean island after it made landfall on Wednesday.
 
The first reports, images and video of devastation from St Maarten show the island swamped in floodwater after Hurricane Irma caused a huge storm surge which engulfed the island.
 
Car roofs can be seen poking out from above the water after coastal areas whipped out by the flooding.
 
The French Government has said the four “most solid” buildings on St Martin have been destroyed in a truly shocking statement following on from Hurricane Irma.
 
“We know that the four most solid buildings on the island have been destroyed which means that the most rustic structures have probably been completely or partially destroyed.”
 
Daniel Gibbs, president of the territorial community of St Martin, told Guadeloupe 1st Radio Station he had never witnessed damage like it.
 
“We have never seen this in Saint Martin,” he said. “Even the walls are shaking.”
 
The French Government has confirmed there are widespread electrical blackouts caused by the flooding on St Martin and St Barts.
 
Hurricane Irma models, issued on Wednesday, 5 AM local time, shows the storm remaining as a Category 5 but with a slight shift east in its direction.
 
Irma is still forecast to threaten the Florida Peninsula this weekend.
 
This Hurricane forecast track puts the west and east coast of Florida under the cone of movement.
 
The National Hurricane Center holds Irma’s max sustained winds at 185 MPH, with Hurricane Irma now the strongest storm in the recorded history of the Atlantic Ocean. 
 
NHC scientist Eric Blake said traffic on the northbound Florida Turnpike in Miami showed people were starting to evacuate. 
 
He tweeted: “There is zero to like about NHC forecast trends for SE Florida. Please, please prepare in advance to protect you and your loved ones from Irma.
 
“Ensemble means are one way to smooth through the noisy deterministic models. This has stayed very similar to yesterday.”
 
Source: Express
 
 
 
 
 

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