Florida tourists braced for hurricane
A hurricane warning was issued today for the southern Florida peninsula, the Florida Keys, Florida Bay and the Dry Tortugas.
The US National Hurricane Centre put out the warning after heavy rain from Hurricane Wilma battered several parts of the state - a popular destination with British holidaymakers.
The full force of Wilma is expected to hit Florida within the next 24 hours.
Dozens of military helicopters and 13.2 million ready meals are on standby as forecasters predicted hurricane force winds - stretching for 170 miles - could devastate large parts of the state.
Hundreds of satellite phones have been stockpiled and residents were urged to stock up on canned food, bottled water and torches.
Yesterday, Wilma - currently a Category 3 storm - ripped a path across Mexico, flattening houses, tearing down trees and pummelling the popular Cancun holiday resort.
Terrified British tourists were evacuated from shelter to shelter, huddled together in cramped conditions with no electricity, food or blankets.
Hotel windows were shattered and roofs torn off while high waves entirely cut off the scuba diving paradise of Cozumel Island.
In Florida, roads were gridlocked and evacuations took place along the low-lying Keys. Shelters were also opened and local officials said they were taking nothing for granted.
Rachel and Carl Farricker, from Altham, Lancashire, had been due to return from an "idyllic" two week holiday in Cancun on Thursday.
Mrs Farricker, 39, contacted a friend in England to say the roof had being torn off their shelter and they had been forced to move to a school room instead.
"Evacuated by bus to tiny school room. No blankets or pillows or food or electricity, just water," her text message read.
"Roads flooded bad, hit a power line. Trees everywhere, huge gale blowing, must be close but no information or reps here." it went on.
British embassy staff have been deployed to the region to assist stranded tourists and a consular rapid deployment team from London is on stand-by.
Richard Pasche of the US National Hurricane Centre said Wilma was likely to maintain Category 3 status for the next 24 hours.
"It is such a large system it is imperative for people to realise that where the exact centre goes is not the entire story," he said.
Wilma has been blamed for at least 13 deaths in Haiti and Jamaica.
It approached Mexico with the same strength as Hurricane Katrina, which slammed into Louisiana on August 29, killing more than 1,200 people.
A 400-mile wide storm, Wilma was at one point ranked the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record.
| Related Stories: |
|
