Hurricane Michael: Record-breaking 'hell' storm mauls US

Published : 11 Oct 2018, 12:51

Sahos Desk

The most powerful hurricane ever to hit north-west Florida has flooded beach towns, submerging homes and snapping trees like twigs.

Hurricane Michael - a category three storm with 125mph (200km/h) winds - made landfall on Wednesday afternoon in the state's Panhandle region.

One person was killed by a falling tree, Florida officials say.

Michael is so powerful that it remained a hurricane as it moved overland to bear down on Alabama and Georgia.

Its rapid intensification caught many by surprise.

Unusually warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico turbo-charged the storm from a tropical depression on Sunday.

It was a category two hurricane by Tuesday, and a borderline category five on Wednesday morning, packing 155mph winds.

Florida Governor Rick Scott warned of "unimaginable devastation", saying it would be the worst storm in 100 years.

Michael reportedly killed at least 13 people in Central America: six in Honduras, four in Nicaragua and three in El Salvador.

More than 370,000 people in Florida were ordered to evacuate, but officials reckon many ignored the warning.

States of emergency have been declared in all or parts of Florida, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina.

The hurricane made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, at around 14:00 (18:00 GMT) on Wednesday, according to the NHC.

Forecasters warned parts of Florida could experience storm surges of up to 14ft (4m) and flash floods from up to 12in (30cm) of rain.

Schools and state offices in the area are to remain shut this week.

Florida has activated 3,500 National Guard troops.

More than 300 miles of coastline were under threat, the National Weather Service said.

Source: bbc

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