With the most powerful hurricane ever to form in the Atlantic, Category 5 Hurricane Irma is approaching the east coast of the United States and Trinidadians in Florida are becoming more and more nervous.
The hurricane, which is expected to hit landfall this weekend, has caused scores of people to evacuate their homes and some of them, including Trinidadians, are said to have driven all the way up to North to Georgia and New Jersey.
Trinidadian Cindy Saroop McNeal, who lives at Boynton Beach, Florida, one mile from the coast, told the T&T Guardian yesterday that she has decided to stay at home with her husband and two small children, ages seven and three.
Mc Neal said she experienced a Category 3 hurricane before and believes she can survive Hurricane Irma.
“I am still hoping that by the time Hurricane Irma approaches us it would have downgraded to a lesser category. My home’s foundation is concrete so I am not quite worried. However, I will be putting up the shutters to block off all the windows,” McNeal said.
McNeal said all schools have been closed since yesterday as a state of emergency has been declared by the governor. “Right now we are stocking up on food, water supply, batteries, flash lights, candles and first aid kits. All gas stations have been ordered to stay open. It is very scary at the moment. A lot of people are scattering all over. It is scary.”
Sharing her experience of her last hurricane, McNeal said she had to dodge fallen trees and live power lines while on her way to work during the category 3 event.
“Everyone’s roofs were on my vehicle…fences were gone…trees fallen all over…flood in front my house at waist heigh. It was really horrifyingly bad. I still had to go to work and remembered dodging power lines and trees on the roadway,” McNeal said.
“Right now all my friends have left Florida already on their way to Georgia and New Jersey. I have chosen to stay because I believe my family and I will be okay, my house is strong enough and I don’t have shingles on my house so I really should be okay,” she added.
According to AccuWeather.com’s website, Hurricane Irma is expected to unleash destructive winds and rain which will cause flooding across Florida starting from tomorrow.
The current track of Irma will bring the most severe impacts to the eastern side of the state, including Miami, West Palm Beach, Melbourne, Daytona Beach and Jacksonville. Tropical-storm-force conditions could be felt as far west as Tampa and Key West.
See Page A18