Hurricane Irma downgraded to Category Two storm

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FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – SEPTEMBER 10: East Oakland Park Boulevard is completely blocked by a downed street light pole as Hurricane Irma hits the southern part of the state September 10, 2017 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The powerful hurricane made landfall in the United States in the Florida Keys at 9:10 a.m. after raking across the north coast of Cuba. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP

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 kilometers) north of Naples, the National Hurricane Center said.

“Dangerous storm surges expected immediately after the eye passage along the Florida West Coast,” the NHC said. “This is a life-threatening situation. Persons located within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions.”

It cautioned that although it was set to weaken further, Irma was expected to remain a hurricane at least through early Monday.

© Agence France-Presse