Hurricane Irma is the second strongest storm of the Atlantic Season after the devastating Hurricane Harvey. Irma, after much intensification and weakening has now become a Category 4 storm. The storm is heading towards the Caribbean now.
In view of the potentially damaging storm, state of emergency has already been declared in the regions including Florida as well as Puerto Rico. The wind speed of Irma at present is gusting up to 230 kmph. As per forecasters, the hurricane may gain even more strength in the coming two days which is bad news for the Caribbean Islands.
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On Monday afternoon, local time, Irma was 790km east of the Leeward Islands. The storm was moving westwards at the speed of 20 kmph. The possibility of flash floods, landslides and squally winds and high waves are quite likely as the storm could result in torrential rains.
After the intensification, Puerto Rico was the first to declare a state of emergency. Thereafter, even Florida followed and declared the same.
Hurricane Irma is expected to reach Florida during the weekend. Thus, residents have been advised to take all the cautions possible. Not only this, forecasters are trying to track the movement as there is a possibility that Irma might affect Georgia as well as the North and South Carolina.
Both the regions of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are likely to witness rains ranging between 100-200 mm with winds gusting up to 100 kmph.
Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Martin, Saba, St Eustatius, St Maarten and St Barts are under a hurricane warning. Along with this, Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, the British and US Virgin islands as well as Guadeloupe are under a hurricane watch with the warning of a tropical storm in effect for Guadeloupe.
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