Emiratis in US warned as Hurricane Michael strengthens

Top Stories

Emiratis in US warned as Hurricane Michael strengthens

The storm is expected to make landfall on Wednesday.

By AFP

  • Follow us on
  • google-news
  • whatsapp
  • telegram

Published: Wed 10 Oct 2018, 6:36 AM

Last updated: Wed 10 Oct 2018, 4:25 PM

Hurricane Michael strengthened into a Category 4 storm early on Wednesday before it was expected to plow into Florida's Gulf shore with towering waves and roof-shredding winds as 500,000 people were under evacuation orders and advisories.

Hurricane Michael was packing winds of up to 130 miles per hour (210 km per hour), hours before it was set to make landfall on Florida's Panhandle or Florida's Big Bend where it potentially could unleash devastating waves as high as 13 feet (4 meters), the National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned.
"THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to evacuate before conditions start deteriorating within the next few hours," said Florida Governor Rick Scott in a Tweet early on Wednesday.
US President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Florida, freeing up federal assistance to supplement state and local disaster responses.
Michael gathered greater strength over warm Gulf of Mexico waters throughout the day on Tuesday as it jumped from a Category 2 to Category 3 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson wind scale. The last NHC report said the fast-moving storm was about 180 miles (325 km) from Panama City, Florida.
UAE embassy issues warning to Emiratis
The Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates in New York on Monday issued a weather warning to Emiratis in US as Hurricane Michael is expected to make landfall in the northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday.
The consulate has posted the warning on its official Twitter account that UAE residents living in New York should exercise caution and stay tuned to local news for safety instructions and evacuation procedures.
"For emergencies, please call 911 and do not hesitate to call the Consulate at +1-646-630-2575 for further assistance" the consulate said on its Twitter account.
 
Florida braces for worst in decades
The storm was expected to make landfall on Wednesday afternoon, bringing hurricane force winds, a "life-threatening storm surge" and heavy rainfall, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Rick Knabb, a former NHC head, urged locals in Michael's path to waste no time in evacuating.

"#Michael could be one of the worst hurricanes to ever strike the Florida Big Bend/Florida Panhandle region," he warned. "We only have today and Tuesday to complete lifesaving preparations at the coast and inland. Evacuate as instructed from storm surge and shelter smart from wind!"

Governor Rick Scott, who has activated 2,500 members of the National Guard in response, echoed Knabb's assessment saying that: "Hurricane Michael poses a deadly threat (as the) most destructive storm to hit the Florida Panhandle in decades."

Panama City Beach fire department chief Larry Couch urged residents to evacuate.

"If they decide to stay, there will be a point where we can't get to them," Couch said. "We will shut down operations at a certain point and when we do that, they're on their own.

"Be safe and leave," he said.

President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for the state, freeing up federal funds for relief operations and providing the assistance of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

"It is imperative that you heed the directions of your State and Local Officials. Please be prepared, be careful and be SAFE!" Trump tweeted.

State officials issued disaster declarations in Alabama and Georgia, both of which are also expected to feel the impact from the storm.

As of 8:00 pm Eastern time (0000 GMT), Michael was about 255 miles (410 kilometers) south of Panama City and moving north at 12 miles per hour (19 kph).

The NHC said some areas of the Florida coast could expect storm surges of nine to 13 feet (2.7-four meters), and as much as a foot of rain.

The heavy rains could cause flash floods, the NHC said, and spawn tornados in northwestern Florida.

About 120,000 residents were under mandatory evacuation orders in Bay County in the panhandle, a low-lying area of beachfront resorts and retirement communities.

In other areas, residents of mobile homes were urged to leave.

Michael was forecast to have the power to uproot trees, block roads and knock out power for days when it hits Florida. It is expected to weaken as it moves up into the southeastern United States.

The storm is a Category 3 out of five on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.

Drivers waited in long lines at gas stations and residents hurried to fill sandbags, while tolls were suspended on some roads to aid movement ahead of the storm's landfall.

"Since 6:00 am it's been backed up. We're just now running out of regular (gasoline)," Danny Hess, an employee at a gas station in Panama City, told local WJHG television.

The Carolinas are still recovering from Hurricane Florence, which left dozens dead and is estimated to have caused billions of dollars in damage last month.

It made landfall on the coast as a Category 1 hurricane on September 14 and drenched some parts of the state with 40 inches of rain.

Last year saw a string of catastrophic storms batter the western Atlantic - including Irma, Maria and Harvey, which caused a record-equaling $125 billion in damage when it flooded the Houston metropolitan area.

Scientists have long warned that global warming will make storms more destructive, and some say the evidence for this may already be visible.

At their most fearsome, these low-pressure weather fronts pack more power than the energy released by the atomic bomb that levelled Hiroshima.


More news from