Above the Intracoastal Waterway in northern Cameron Parish, the damage was devastating, with the communities of Grand Lake, Hebert's Camp, Lowry, Pelican Point, and Sweetlake suffering from extensive flooding and wind damage. [48] The state coordinated with electrical companies in order for power outages to be restored as quickly as possible, extending resources such as equipment, fuel, and lodging for the approximately 24,000 restoration personnel who had been activated. Allen is #1 at 190 mph", "Irma is now one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic", "Hurricane Irma Meteorological Records/Notable Facts Recap", "Record-breaking Irma remains on track to spare Pee Dee", "Real-Time North Atlantic Ocean Statistics by Storm for 2017", "Saipan Ravaged by Yutu: Photos and a First-Hand Account", "Winston's 180 mph Winds in Fiji: Southern Hemisphere's Strongest Storm on Record", "Category 5 Irma Hits Leeward Islands at Peak Strength", "Monsters of the Atlantic: The Basin's Category 5 Hurricanes", "All the records Irma has already broken – and other jaw-dropping stats", "This Is the First Time Two Category 4 Hurricanes Have Made U.S. Landfall in a Single Season", "Hurricane names Harvey, Irma, Maria and Nate being retired", EMSR232: Hurricane Irma in Antilles Islands, EMSR233: Hurricane Irma in Haiti and Dominican Republic, EMSR236: Hurricane Irma in British Virgin Islands, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hurricane_Irma&oldid=1003047179, 2017 natural disasters in the United States, History of the Collectivity of Saint Martin, Hurricanes in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hurricanes in the United States Virgin Islands, Natural disasters in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, September 2017 events in the United States, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. [86] High seas from Rita on September 22 flooded parts of coastal Walton County. [34] At least 5,000 homes were flooded. Hurricane Rita was the most intense tropical cyclone on record in the Gulf of Mexico and the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. [59][60] Governor Deal ordered mandatory evacuations for all areas east of Interstate 95 on September 7, before extending the order to the entirety of Chatham County and low-lying areas west of I-95 on the following day. [95], In Mississippi, Rita produced widespread rainfall upon its landfall in Louisiana;[96] however, most of the rain fell early on September 25 as a band of heavy rain developed over parts of western Mississippi, northeast Louisiana and southern Arkansas, resulting in up to 10 in (250 mm) of rain around the Big Black River[97] in the span of a few hours. [7] About half of the deaths occurred from drowning, trauma, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Noroviruses and other infections are also a risk. But for struggling farmers, the damages are devastating", "Extensive flooding, damage in Turks and Caicos", "Reports of Hurricane Damage To Morton Salt Compound", "Tornadic Activity Damages Homes in Grand Bahama", "More than 100 people displaced by tornadoes", "Hurricane Irma Is So Powerful it Sucked Ocean Water Away in the Bahamas", "Raúl Castro cifra los daños del huracán Irma a Cuba en 13.185 millones de dólares", "Hurricane Matthew in Cuba causes over 2.5 bln USD in damage", "Hurricane Vulnerability in Latin America and The Caribbean: Normalized Damage and Loss Potentials", "Lluvias intensas observadas y grandes inundaciones reportadas", "Hurricane Wilma exacts losses of 704 million dollars: Cuban government", "Dominican Navy ship arrives in Cuba with aid for victims of Hurricane Irma", Cuba: Hurricane Irma - Three Month Report, "Cuba took a direct hit from Hurricane Irma — and may have spared Florida from worse damage", Costliest U.S. tropical cyclones tables update, "Sand Disturbed by the Passing of Hurricane Irma", "Irma could have been a lot worse for South Florida, but it's still not a pretty picture", "The devastation left by Hurricane Irma was far greater, at least in certain locations, than anyone thought – but amazing people working hard! [84] Most of the Florida Keys received 3 in (76.2 mm) of rain or more. Another hotel lost nearly all of its ground floor. [47] 400 patients were prisoners under the ward of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The island's fire station was inundated with up to 6.4 ft (2.0 m) of flood waters. Trees were also destroyed. Overall damage was limited to external parts of houses and trees that were blown onto roads and three unmanned ships wrecked by rough seas. Atlanta was placed under its first-ever tropical storm warning. [218][219] UK politicians, including the chairs of the foreign affairs and development select committees, criticized both the government's preparations for the storm and its response as inadequate. Two helicopters and one Cheyenne aircraft were also provided to assist with recovery efforts. [35] By September 10, the main island had recovered enough to serve as a refuge for people stranded on other islands, including 1,200 tourists from Saint Martin and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Most residents followed the recommendations of their respective officials, hitting the road by the deadline, though many returned home and waited until early the next morning after encountering severe traffic delays. [209] Government officials and members of the public in Puerto Rico delivered assistance and evacuated people stranded on other islands. Other Orlando-area theme parks, including Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando, were also closed. Mobile homes and apartments also sustained significant damage or total destruction. Police were stationed to assist with traffic flow. [1], The ninth named storm, fourth hurricane, second major hurricane,[nb 1] and first Category 5 hurricane of the 2017 season, Irma caused widespread and catastrophic damage throughout its long lifetime, particularly in the northeastern Caribbean and the Florida Keys. [111], For the most part, Houston escaped major damage, apart from extensive power interruptions. The Florida State Seminoles contest against the Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks was canceled on September 8. The storm caused catastrophic damage in Barbuda, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Anguilla, and the Virgin Islands as a Category 5 hurricane. The combination of severe gridlock and excessive heat led to between 90 and 118 deaths even before the storm arrived. [50] Also, people in certain zones were to be forced to go to certain cities in Texas and were not allowed to exit their designated routes except for food and gas — another feature of the evacuation plan which officials hoped would keep traffic flow orderly. [76] The Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League rescheduled their September 9 match to September 7. Schools and public businesses closed on September 5 and 6. At the time, the disturbance, classified as Tropical Depression Eighteen,[7] was roughly 80 mi (130 km) east of Grand Turk Island in the Turks and Caicos and had developed banding features. [96] In Alabama, the storm produced 22 weak tornadoes, mainly rated F0, causing minor isolated damage amounting to roughly $1.2 million. On the French side of Saint-Martin, entire marinas around Marigot were left in ruins, littered with the stranded remnants of boats that had smashed into each other. People were scheduled to leave at different times over a 24-hour period depending on the zone in which the people were located. Indirect deaths are caused by hurricane-related accidents (including car accidents, crimes, fires or other incidents), cleanup and evacuation incidents and health issues (such as poisoning, illnesses, lack of emergency aid). Bill Haslam issues executive order for Irma evacuees", "Bristol Motor Speedway campground open to Irma evacuees", "How Hurricane Irma is affecting sports this weekend", "Florida State League cancels championship series as Hurricane Irma looms", "Carolina League cancels Mills Cup Finals", "Southern League Championship Series canceled", "The Miami FC vs. San Francisco Deltas Match Postponed", "Hurricane Irma moves Orlando Pride, Seattle Reign match to Thursday", "Hurricane Irma could strand Orlando City in Washington D.C.", "UMaine football game vs. Central Florida canceled", "Hurricane Irma: Florida, Florida State, Miami among teams to cancel games", "Alcorn State at FIU football game moved to Birmingham's Legion Field", "Game Alert: Georgia Southern/New Hampshire Football Game Moved to Birmingham", "FEMA Is Almost Out of Money and Hurricane Irma Is Approaching", "Senate Votes to Raise Debt Limit and Approves $15 Billion in Hurricane Relief", Hurricane Irma: Report No. Nathan Deal extends state of emergency to 64 more counties", "Cuba lashed by category five winds as storm heads to US – as it happened", "Hurricane Irma: 30 Georgia counties under state of emergency", "Talladega Superspeedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway offer free campground space for Irma evacuees", "Tolls to be suspended on I-75 express lanes south of Atlanta", "NC governor declares state of emergency ahead of 'powerful' Hurricane Irma: 'Get ready, "Hurricane Irma: SC Governor McMaster declares state of emergency", "Virginia Governor declares state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Irma", "Louisiana planning for possible impacts from Hurricane Irma", "TN Gov. [45], As an estimated 2.5 – 3.7 million people evacuated the Texas coastline, a significant heat wave affected the region. A total of 14,859 medical personnel were mobilized to quickly assist residents impacted by Rita. [7] The island's air traffic control tower was damaged, exacerbating the already poor communication with the island. [20] An estimated 150,000 people were evacuated in northern Cuba ahead of the storm. The personnel consisted of 3,767 doctors, 5,143 nurses, 2,139 specialists, 1,072 health officials, and 2,738 other staff members. nola.com 840 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70130 Toll free: 866-698-0200 Phone: 504-636-7400 The following day, the Dutch military was able to airlift dialysis patients off the island while also dropping leaflets to warn islanders about the rapidly approaching Hurricane Jose. [44] In the northern Bahamas, the worst property damage came on September 10 as the outer bands of the system produced tornadic activity on Grand Bahama and Bimini. Although Irma briefly weakened to a Category 2 storm while making landfall on Cuba, the system re-intensified to Category 4 status as it crossed the warm waters of the Straits of Florida, before making landfall on Cudjoe Key on September 10. [7], Given that Irma's forecast track was along much of the Caribbean island chain, hurricane warnings were issued for the northern Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, and parts of Hispaniola on September 5. Part of the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, which included three of the top ten most intense Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded (along with #1 Wilma and #7 Katrina), Rita was the seventeenth named storm, tenth hurricane… This made Irma only the second Category 5 hurricane to strike Cuba in recorded history, after the 1924 Cuba hurricane. [105] Total damage were estimated at €2.5 billion (US$2.98 billion). This ties it with Hurricane Mitch of 1998 and Hurricane Rita of 2005 as the sixth-strongest Atlantic hurricane by wind speed. The Overseas Highway remained closed while authorities assessed the integrity of the 42 bridges along the route. On Big Pine Key, one of the most devastated islands, 633 homes received minor impact, 299 homes received major impact, and 473 homes were completely destroyed. [268][269], On September 6, Irma made landfall on the islands of Barbuda, Saint Martin, and Virgin Gorda at peak strength. [108] Irma is considered the worst natural disaster to hit Sint Maarten; the extent of its damage far exceeded that of any previous hurricane. [105] Heavy rains also fell in association with Rita in the state. The British government also drafted 2 members of the UK police calibre into the region on September 10, and 53 police officers were drafted from RAF Brize Norton to the affected British Overseas Territories on September 15 to help maintain order. [274][275] This also marked only the third occurrence of two consecutive Atlantic storms making landfall in the United States as major hurricanes. Power was not restored in some areas across the region for weeks to even months. It was replaced by Rina for the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season's list. This subsequently ended the 60-hour contiguous period of Irma maintaining Category 5 intensity, the second longest any Atlantic storm had maintained winds above 156 mph (251 km/h) – behind only the 1932 Cuba hurricane. The national electrical infrastructure was said to be extensively damaged. The water treatment plant in Port Neches was heavily damaged. Widespread power outages affected roughly 1 million customers, with Entergy Louisiana reporting the largest outage of 601,183 customers losing power.[90]. Despite this, post-storm predictions estimated only minor price rises. [57] Direct Relief, a disaster relief organization, coordinated with local health centers and provided resources to help facilities on the front lines of Floridian and Puerto Rican communities. [17] At least one shelter was opened and schools throughout the country were closed. [146] The Acklins settlement of Salina Point was cut off from the rest of the island by flooding, while Crooked Island had widespread roof damage. At the time, it was considered as the most powerful hurricane on record in the open Atlantic region, outside of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico until it was surpassed by Hurricane Dorian two years later. However, Sabine Pass experienced a significant storm surge, which destroyed much of the community. "[34][35] Local officials contended that they had not received promised funds, supplies, or equipment from the national government. [267] Furthermore, when Irma made landfall on Barbuda, Saint Martin, Virgin Gorda, and Cuba as a Category 5 hurricane, it became one of only two recorded Atlantic storms to make landfall in multiple nations at this strength; the other was Hurricane Andrew in 1992, which struck both Eleuthera and the United States as a Category 5 hurricane. The strongest official sustained wind speed was 124 mph (200 km/h), while the highest wind gust reached 159 mph (256 km/h); both were observed near Camila in Ciego de Ávila Province. [27], On September 4, Puerto Rico declared a state of emergency. [72] Minor League Baseball's Florida State League, Carolina League, and Southern League called off their championship finals and as a result, named their division series winners league co-champions. [112] Thirty-one deaths in Harris County were attributed to Rita, mostly related to the evacuation and cleanup. [224], Amendments to international aid rules by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (or OECD) allowed for the UK government to provide access to £13 billion worth of aid to the affected British Overseas Territories, through the UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) by November 2017. The Morton Salt Company's signature production facility, one of the major employers in the country, experienced millions of dollars in damages. Along the coast, a tide gauge observed waves up to 1.5 ft (0.46 m) mean higher high water. [100] Holmes, Hinds and Madison Counties also had flooding, with damage in all three counties amounting to $2 million. Information for the Traveling Public Format; Mileage Grid - Traveling Across Texas: GIS Open Data: County Grid: Hurricane Evacuation Contraflow: Right of Way Several hours later, a hurricane warning was issued for Exuma and Andros Island. The storm threatened a large amount of oil infrastructure that was left undamaged by Katrina. [16] At 06:00 UTC on September 12, Irma degenerated to a remnant low just as it entered Alabama, as most of the deep convection had diminished. Property damages in unincorporated areas alone reach about $320 million. An estimated 2.5 – 3.7 million people fled prior to Rita's landfall,[43][44] making it the largest evacuation in United States' history. Some economists argued that the rebuilding effort could buoy the economy in 2006, while others argued that the energy spike could decrease consumer confidence by enough to send the economy into a full-fledged recession when combined with the Federal Reserve's recent increases in interest rates. [2] As many as 120 deaths in four U.S. states were directly related to the hurricane. In response, the French government increased its troop deployment to 2,200 and the Dutch government sent more than 600 military and police personnel. [85] Total losses exceeded €3.5 billion (US$4.17 billion). [47] Fuel was in short supply throughout peninsular Florida during the week before Irma's arrival, especially along evacuation routes, leading to hours-long lines at fuel stations and even escorts of fuel trucks by the Florida Highway Patrol. [250] By late on September 12, the Overseas Highway had been repaired and the bridges inspected as safe for first responders to travel to Key West. [135] Approximately 1,530 homes experienced at least moderate damage, with 1,448 homes moderately damaged, 32 extensively damaged, and 50 completely destroyed. [7], On September 4, Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency. Damages from the flooding estimated at $200,000. [142] The hospital in the capital, Cockburn Town, was heavily damaged. [22] A large-scale preparation was put in place by the Ministry of Health in Cuba. [105] One of these tracked for nearly 18 miles (29 km) and grew to a width of 800 yd (730 m). [235], In Haiti, officials stated that losses were greater than they could have been since people largely did not heed early preparation and evacuation warnings. [186] Throughout Hendry County, a total of 451 homes had minor damage, 131 homes suffered major damage, and 42 others were destroyed. [244], Sporadic reports of looting and burglaries at several Miami Metro area businesses occurred with the theft of non-essential items such as sports apparel and athletic shoes during the height of the storm. [88], With an estimated cost of $8 billion in damages, Hurricane Rita's impact across Louisiana varied. 2/8/2021 - DOTD completes hurricane debris removal in Avoyelles Parish; 2/5/2021 - DOTD announces update on U.S. 90 Atchafalaya Bridge Rehab in St. Mary Parish; 2/5/2021 - DOTD announces completion of hurricane debris removal in St. Landry and Vermilion Parishes; 2/2/2021 - REMINDER: LA 23 (Belle Chasse Tunnel) closure [258] Additionally, the Sun-Sentinel published before and after photos of several landmarks in the Florida Keys. [238] The National Guard was delayed in reaching Saint John due to the number of overturned boats left in the harbor. [211], In response to Hurricane Jose's approach, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda issued a mandatory evacuation on September 9 for any remaining residents on Barbuda. At the height of Rita's landfall, a fire broke out in the Strand Historic District; the Galveston fire department reacted quickly and was able to contain and douse the wind-whipped blaze, limiting damage and preventing the fire from spreading throughout the city. Luckily, no serious injuries were reported, though several historic buildings were either gutted or damaged; a fire-weakened wall of the vacated Yaga's Cafe and Bar collapsed several hours later, likely due to lingering wind gusts. In Cameron Parish, the damage was catastrophic, particularly along the coastline and north to the Intracoastal Waterway. [90], A similar situation unfolded in Sint Maarten, Saint Martin's Dutch half, as intense winds ripped through buildings and lifted vehicles aloft "as if they were matches". [45] The Civil Defense evacuated nearly one million people from low-lying areas, including thousands of Canadian and European tourists in the Jardines del Rey. Among those deaths were 12 people at The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, a Hollywood nursing home. [71], In professional sports, the Miami Dolphins–Tampa Bay Buccaneers game scheduled for September 10 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami was postponed to November 19 due to the storm's threat. [25] A State of Emergency was declared ahead of Rita later that day by President George W. Bush. At 05:00 UTC on September 8, Irma made landfall on the island of Little Inagua in the Bahamas with sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h). Portions of Jacksonville experienced flooding, particularly the downtown area and the Riverside and San Marco neighborhoods, with about 350 people rescued in those sections of the city. Currently, very little spare crude oil capacity exists in the United States, and the Gulf of Mexico produces some 2 million barrels (320,000 m3) per day total, as well as having some 30% of the total refining capacity of the United States. Barbuda's Codrington Lagoon, home to the largest colony of magnificent frigatebirds in the Caribbean, with an estimated 2,500 nesting pairs, was also inundated by the storm surge. [23], On September 18, when Rita was declared a tropical storm, phased evacuations began in the Florida Keys. [144], Damages were largely confined to the southern islands starting the morning of September 8. [7] By the afternoon, limited flooding was occurring in Havana, including around the Malecón. Debris, mostly fallen trees, blocked at least 72 roads. [101][102][103] Several roads were also flooded in Monroe County after 6 inches (150 mm) of rain fell. The only telecommunications tower on Culebra sustained damage, cutting off outside communications for several hours. "Assessment of observed changes and responses in natural and managed systems. Irma's effects in the U.S. Virgin Islands were most profound on Saint Thomas, where at least 12 inches (305 mm) of rain fell, and on Saint John. [52] The Kennedy Space Center was closed from September 8 to September 15. [126], Most homes and businesses were destroyed on the island of Jost Van Dyke, the smallest of the B.V.I. To the north in Calcasieu Parish, the cities and communities of Iowa, Lake Charles, Moss Bluff, Sulphur, and Westlake suffered severe wind damage, and some areas also received flooding due to both storm surge and heavy rain. [93], However, the southwestern region of the state near where Rita made landfall was undeniably the worst impacted region in Louisiana.[4]. When Irma reached Category 5 intensity with winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) at 11:45 UTC on September 5 at 57.7°W,[7] it became the easternmost Atlantic hurricane of this strength on record, surpassing Hurricane David of 1979. [118] Saint John lost access to ferry and cargo services, along with access to the local airport. [217] This included the first deployment of No. [49] Throughout the state, almost 700 emergency shelters were opened. [185][50], Impact in much of the Miami metropolitan area was generally limited to extensive tree and fence damage, as well as widespread power outages. A bridge over the Dajabón River connecting the two countries was broken. The hurricane caused at least 134 deaths: one in Anguilla; one in Barbados; three in Barbuda; four in the British Virgin Islands; 10 in Cuba; 11 in the French West Indies; one in Haiti; three in Puerto Rico; four on the Dutch side of Sint Maarten; 92 in the contiguous United States, and four in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread destruction across its path in September 2017. [267] In addition, Irma achieved one of the longest durations of Category 5 strength winds,[7] and the third-highest accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) index for a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin, with a value of 64.9 units. [3], On September 7, 2005, a tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Africa and moved westward into the Atlantic Ocean. While the eye passed just south of the main islands, crossing over South Caicos and the Ambergris Cays, the most powerful winds on the northern side of the eye swept all of the islands for more than two hours. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, longest durations of Category 5 strength winds, List of Florida hurricanes (2000-present), "Atlantic hurricane best track (HUDRAT version 2)". [14] Favorable conditions allowed for additional development, and at 0300 UTC on September 22, Rita reached its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (285 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 895 mbar (hPa; 26.43 inHg), making it the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico.
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