Nearly two million people were told to evacuate the Atlantic coast and NASA all but abandoned Cape Canaveral as Hurricane Floyd -- one of the most powerful storms ever to threaten the US -- charged toward Florida with potentially catastrophic 250kph winds.
Floyd is much larger than Hurricane Andrew, which smashed into South Florida in 1992, causing US$25 billion in damage, killing 26 people and leaving 160,000 homeless.
It already pounded the Bahamas with howling winds and blinding rain yesterday, snapping palm trees in half, downing power lines and churning up dangerous surf throughout the vulnerable islands.
PHOTO: AFP
Residents in the low-lying archipelago huddled inside their homes and dozens of public shelters as the Category 4 storm with top sustained winds of 250kph raked the islands. Meteorologists were discussing whether to upgrade it to a Category 5 hurricane.
Floyd uprooted 10-meter trees, ripped awnings off buildings and sent whirling sheets of rain through Nassau's deserted streets. Its roaring winds shook the 11-story Marriott Hotel and pelted the streets with debris, setting off car alarms.
Floridians can only watch and wait.
"It's scary. It's very scary," said Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who declared an advance state of emergency Monday night. "Andrew hit Miami in the middle of the night and it was haunting. This is as strong and ... three times bigger."
The storm could be dangerous even if it does not come ashore. Floyd's hurricane-force winds extended for 200km as of yesterday. Andrew's hurricane-force winds extended about 40 or 48km, paling in comparison.
With a hurricane warning in effect from Florida City, south of Miami, to Brunswick, Georgia, residents along 640km of coastline packed stores to stock up on canned food, bottled water, plywood and aluminum shutters. Navy ships left port to ride out the storm at sea, and aircraft were sent inland.
Officials said one million people were urged to evacuate in Florida.
American Airlines canceled all its flights yesterday at airports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando. In all, about 400 flights were canceled, most at American's Miami hub. United Airlines and US Airways also canceled all flights into and out of South Florida on Monday night.
Georgia was under a hurricane watch from Brunswick to Savannah, a 112-km span, and forecasters said that likely would be extended into South Carolina overnight. Coastal residents in the Brunswick and Savannah areas were urged to evacuate.
"This is probably the most serious threat we've had to the Georgia coast this century," said Gary McConnell, director of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.
South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges ordered 600 National Guard troops and 500 state police to the coast to help in case an evacuation is ordered.
At Kennedy Space Center, which is just 2.7m above sea level, almost all of the 12,500 workers were leaving. A skeleton crew remained behind, but they, too, will evacuate if the wind is as fierce as predicted.
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