Hurricane Michael LIVE: South Carolina and Virginia BRACE as Hurricane to hit in 3 HOURS
FLORIDA has been reduced to rubble as Hurricane Michael swept in last night to cause devastating destruction, flattening homes and downing power lines. Georgia, North and South Carolina are now braced for the monster storm – find the latest news and live updates here.
By AMANI HUGHES
Express.co.uk
Thu, Oct 11, 2018
Hurricane Michael became the third-most powerful ever to strike the US mainland and the worst to hit the Florida Panhandel since records began when the barreling winds made landfall on Wednesday.
The ferocious hurricane – now downgraded to a tropical storm – battered the Florida Gulf coast with roof-shredding winds, raging surf and torrential rains before setting its sights on Georgia.
Michael made landfall on Wednesday afternoon near Mexico Beach, about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Panama City in Florida’s Panhandle region, with top sustained winds reaching 155 miles per hour (249 kph).
The governors of North and South Carolina urged residents to brace for more heavy rain and storm-force winds as Michael plows northward up the Atlantic seaboard.
The Carolinas are still reeling from severe flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence less than a month ago, which killed 50 people.
Hurricane Michael has so far caused two death on the US mainland.
Follow our live updates on Hurricane Michael below. All times in BST.
2.04pm update: ‘I think everything is way worse than expected’
Hurricane Michael has killed at least two people, shattered houses and buildings, downed power lines and ripped up trees when it crashed ashore on Wednesday afternoon.
Michael carried winds of up to 155 miles per hour (250km/h) and caused deep seawater flooding.
Florida Governor Rick Scott told the Weather Channel: “I think everything from Panama City down to Mexico Beach is way worse than anybody ever anticipated.
“This is going to be a long recovery but Florida is resilient, we help each other, and we survive.
“We worked all night in endangered circumstances.”
1.32pm update: ‘Third World country war zone’
Jason Gunderson, a member of the Cajun Navy rescue group said the only way to describe the devastation left behind by Hurricane Michael is a “Third World country war zone.”
Mexico Beach Councilwoman Linda Albrecht said: “It feels like a nightmare. Somebody needs to come up and shake you and wake you up.”
Michael is expected to drop 4 to 7 inches of rain from eastern Georgia to the southern mid-Atlantic and up to 9 inches of rain in isolated parts of North Carolina and Virginia, the National Hurricane Center said.
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