North America

Hurricane Irma downgraded to Category Two storm

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Hurricane Irma slowed to a Category Two storm after making its second landfall in Florida on Sunday, US forecasters said, warning it still had “dangerous” winds causing “life-threatening” storm surges. At 5:00 pm (2100 GMT), the hurricane had top winds of 110 miles (177 kilometers) per hour — at the top end of the Category Two storm range — with the eye of the storm located just five miles (eight […]

After landfall, Irma heading for Southwest Florida Coast as winds continue to increase — NHC

  (Eagle News) – Category 4 Hurricane Irma is now “headed for the Southwest Florida Coast” as of 11 a.m. EDT (11 p.m. Philippine time) with maximum sustained winds of about 130 miles per hour, and the winds will still “continue to increase,” according to the latest update from the United States’ National Hurricane Center. An hour earlier, at 10 a.m. EDT Sunday, September 10,NHC said that Irma’s eye is now “beginning to move away […]

Irma now whipping Florida; NHC warns of “life-threatening” winds, storm surges, floods

  (Eagle News) – Hurricane Irma — which has already killed 24 people in the Caribbean region — is now bearing down on Florida as the northern eyewall of this monstrous Category 4 hurricane is now affecting the Lower Florida Keys as of 7 a.m. EDT (7 p.m. Philippine time) on Sunday, Sept. 10, according to the latest update from the US’ National Hurricane Center (NHC). “NORTHERN EYEWALL OF IRMA REACHES THE LOWER FLORIDA KEYS… […]

Irma strengthens to Category 4 Hurricane as it nears Florida Keys: NHC

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Hurricane Irma strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it closed in on the island chain known as the Florida Keys, the US National Hurricane Center said early Sunday. The storm was churning about 70 miles (115 kilometers) south-southeast of Key West, menacing Florida with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour. Its eye was expected to cross the Lower Florida Keys within hours before moving “near or along” […]

Irma weakens to Category 4 hurricane as it heads for Florida

HAVANA, Cuba (AFP) — Hurricane Irma weakened slightly to a Category 4 storm early Saturday, according to the US National Hurricane Center, after making landfall hours earlier in Cuba with maximum-strength Category 5 winds. The fierce storm was zeroing in on Florida, churning some 245 miles (395 kilometers) away from Miami and packing still powerful maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour. “Some fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next day or two, […]

5.6 million Floridians ordered to evacuate as Irma closes in: emergency officials

MIAMI, Florida (AFP) — Florida has ordered 5.6 million people to evacuate as massive Hurricane Irma menaces the southeastern US state, according to its Division of Emergency Management. Irma regained strength as a Category 5 storm late Friday as it made landfall on the Camaguey Archipelago of Cuba, and is now swirling about 275 miles (440 kilometers) away from Miami packing maximum sustained winds of 160 miles per hour. Irma is expected to strike the […]

Pensacola residents recall horror of 2004 hurricane Ivan, prepare for Irma’s wrath

  By Tracy Nguyen (EBC Florida) Eagle News Service PENSACOLA, Florida (Eagle News) — Almost 13 years after the devastation that Hurricane Ivan, residents of Pensacola, Florida take no chances with Hurricane Irma. Even before knowing the trajectory of Hurricane Irma, Pensacola locals began preparing by buying water, food and gasoline. Within hours, stores all around Pensacola had sold out on all of their emergency supplies. On September 13, 2004 Hurricane Ivan brought destruction to […]

Expelled ambassador says North Korea-US tensions not Mexico’s business

  (Reuters) — North Korea’s ambassador to Mexico on Friday (September 08) said its tensions with the US were not Mexico City’s business, after President Enrique Pena Nieto ordered he leave the country in protest at Pyongyang’s nuclear tests. In a statement, the Mexican government said it had given Ambassador Kim Hyong Gil 72 hours to leave Mexico in order to express its “absolute rejection” of North Korea’s recent nuclear activity, describing it as a […]

Florida mass exodus as Hurricane Irma closes in

https://youtu.be/alWHUpfFfSs     MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Florida’s highways were jammed Friday with families fleeing their homes as Hurricane Irma honed in on the Sunshine State after reducing island resorts to rubble and killing at least 17 people across the Caribbean. Bumper-to-bumper traffic snaked north out of the peninsula, with mattresses, gas cans, mattresses and kayaks strapped to car roofs, as residents heeded increasingly insistent warnings to get out and Florida’s governor said all […]

Watch: Florida residents get into shelters ahead of hurricane Irma

https://youtu.be/ZrTKzSlz4k8   Hundreds of people find shelter in the state of Florida, as Governor Rick Scott warns that all of the state’s 20 million inhabitants should be prepared to evacuate as Hurricane Irma bears down for a direct hit on the southern US state. Charley Rossy, one of those who decided to evacuate to a shelter, said: “This is huge, so it got to the point where it’s a big storm, you are going to […]

Race to rescue survivors from ruins of Mexico quake

by Yemeli ORTEGA Agence France Presse JUCHITAN DE ZARAGOSA, Mexico (AFP) — Police, soldiers and emergency workers raced Friday to rescue survivors from the ruins of Mexico’s most powerful earthquake in a century, which killed at least 59 people. In the southern region hit hardest by the quake, emergency workers looked for survivors — or bodies — in the rubble of houses, churches and schools that were split down the middle, spilling their innards onto […]

All 20 million Florida residents ‘should be prepared to evacuate,’ says governor

  MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Florida Governor Rick Scott warned Friday that all of the state’s 20 million inhabitants should be prepared to evacuate as Hurricane Irma bears down for a direct hit on the southern US state. “The storm is powerful and deadly,” Scott said. “Do not ignore evacuation orders. “Remember, we can rebuild your home, we can’t rebuild your life,” he said. “All Floridians should be prepared to evacuate soon.” Irma was […]