Photo of floodwaters surrounding homes on September 3, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Source: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
As recovery efforts for Hurricane Harvey continue, another devastating natural disaster is underway. Hurricane Irma is set to rock the Caribbean, as well as parts of the United States and American territories.
Irma is the first major storm to develop in the eastern Atlantic and is currently threatening the West Indies’ Leeward Islands. It has strengthened to a “potentially catastrophic” Category 5 storm and is reportedly due to hit the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by Wednesday, September 6. According to NBC News, meteorologists also expect Irma to hit Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and Florida later on in the week. “Florida’s fate largely depends on if Cuba weakens Irma first,” NBC warns.
As far as who will be impacted in the states, the Washington Post reports that “all of Florida — especially South Florida and the Keys — should be preparing for a major hurricane landfall on Sunday,” as “tropical-storm-force winds are expected to arrive as soon as Friday.”
What should those within Irma’s reach expect of a Category 5 hurricane? By comparison, Hurricane Harvey hit Texas as a Category 3, so it goes without saying, Irma could turn out to be a lethal nightmare.
See a breakdown of what to expect from a Category 5 below, courtesy of the National Hurricane Center:
- Sustained winds of 157 mph or higher.
- Catastrophic damage to occur.
- A high percentage of framed homes to be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapses.
- Fallen trees and power poles to isolate residential areas.
- Power outages to last for weeks to possibly months.
- Most of the affected areas could be uninhabitable for weeks or even months.
Below are 14 photos of the damage Hurricane Harvey produced in Texas. Prayers up.
