by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:09 PM ET, Wed September 6, 2017
The Category 5 Hurricane Irma is creating havoc in the Caribbean as it makes its way toward Florida.
UPDATE 4:00 a.m. ET 9/7/2017
Casualties in the wake of Hurricane Irma now include eight fatalities and 23 injuries in French island territories, according to France's minister of the interior (h/t The Independent.)
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Although the eye of the hurricane just bypassed the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, the island still encountered heavy winds and extensive flooding. Hurricane force winds are expected to continue throughout the night, according to the National Hurricane Center.
What' s more, a large part of the island's power grid has stopped operating, leaving nearly one million people without electricity. Sources in Puerto Rico are saying it could be up to six months before power is fully restored.
UPDATE: 5:00 p.m. ET 9/6/2017
Officials lost communication with Barbuda for an extended period of time Wednesday after Irma made a direct hit over the island. Early reports suggest Barbuda sustained catastrophic damage.
To the south, Antigua appears to have emerged from Irma largely unscathed.
"All our visitors remained safe during Hurricane Irma. The island's hotels suffered only minimal damage and have already commenced clean-up operations," the country's tourism minister, Asot Michael, said in a statement.
Antigua's V. C. Bird International Airport has also reopened.
Irma has been blamed for at least two deaths in the islands of St. Barts and St. Martin, according to CNN.
The category 5 storm is currently battering the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as it continues on a west-northwestward track.
Meanwhile, Florida is eyeing a potentially historic mass evacuation as Irma continues on a path toward the state's heavily populated East Coast.
Although airlines are adding flights out of Florida to assist with evacuation efforts, passengers shouldn't wait too long. According to CNN, American Airlines will begin to shutter operations in South Florida Friday before likely ceasing altogether over the weekend.
In addition to Florida and Puerto Rico, states of emergency have been declared in Georgia and South Carolina.
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UPDATE: 4:00 p.m. ET 9/6/2017
The destruction from Hurricane Irma was on full display, as the Daily Mail is reporting St Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport has been destroyed by the storm. Damage to planes, boarding walkways and safety fences was widespread, and nearby Maho beach was devastated.
In the United States, Delta Air Lines announced it is adding flights out of South Florida to help people evacuate the area. Extra flights from Miami, Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Key West will be sent to Atlanta over the coming days, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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UPDATE: 2:55 p.m. ET 9/6/2017
As Hurricane Irma continues moving through the Caribbean toward the United States, the U.S. Northern Command announced it has fully engaged with Federal, State, Territorial and International mission partners to prepare for the storm.
Emergency teams will be needed after Barbuda, the first Caribbean island hit by Irma, lost all contact with the outside world due to the destructive force of the hurricane. The storm is now expected to hit Puerto Rico Wednesday night, according to the Express.
Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the Dominican Republic (ASONAHORES) president Joel Santos released a statement about the incoming hurricane:
"ASONAHORES, along with the Ministry of Tourism, have been preparing since last week to ensure all precautions have been taken and all international protocols and contingency plans have been activated to help ensure the safety of visitors and residents alike," Santos said. "We have been and will continue to be in constant communication with each of the regions of the country to keep close tabs on the ever-evolving situation - allowing us to offer immediate and specific support."
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Original Text
On Wednesday, Hurricane Irma slammed into Barbuda; St. Martin; St. Kitts and Nevis; and Anguilla. Pounding the islands in its path with maximum sustained winds of 185 miles per hour and high storm surges, it is projected to continue on its current path to the British Virgin Islands and northern Puerto Rico later in the day, according to NPR.com.
Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the islands have been largely spared from major destruction, as no deaths have been reported and all guests staying in local hotels have been reported safe.
The National Hurricane Center is calling Hurricane Irma "potentially catastrophic" and said the storm is now on a likely collision course with the Turks and Caicos Islands; the southeastern Bahamas; and Florida, with a possible landfall in the United States expected this weekend.
In total, areas impacted by the hurricane warnings include Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Martin/St. Maarten, St. Barts, the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the northern border with Haiti, Guadeloupe, the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
[READMORE]READ MORE: 'Potentially Catastrophic' Irma Makes Landfall, Breaks Records[/READMORE]
The Caribbean Tourism Organization released a full statement about Hurricane Irma:
"As Hurricane Irma churns its way towards the northern Leeward Islands and the northern Caribbean, including the Bahamas, Cuba and Haiti as a dangerous category 5 storm, the Caribbean Tourism Organization expresses concern for residents and visitors in the countries that are in the hurricane's projected path, and pray that the impact will be reduced.
"We have been in contact with our members and they assure us that they have been taking all the necessary steps to ensure that they are in a state of readiness. We take this storm seriously. The safety of the Caribbean's citizens and our visitors is the number one concern for the authorities and emergency response teams throughout the region."
For those in Florida, Governor Rick Scott is warning people to heed any evacuation orders, as it will be possible to rebuild houses, but life is far more precious. Florida's Key West area also ordered a mandatory evacuation.
In addition, Gov. Scott also told the Miami Herald that residents and visitors evacuating South Florida won't have to pay tolls on all roads until further notice.
More Hurricane Irma Coverage
Airlines
As a result of the major storm, airlines in Florida and throughout the Caribbean are watching the warnings from the National Hurricane Center in order to keep passengers safe through delays and cancellations. Plus, read TravelPulse's thoughts on accusations of airline price gouging.
Cruise Itineraries
For cruise passengers wondering if their voyages have been impacted, all major cruise lines with itineraries in the Caribbean have modified schedules and/or canceled cruises.
Travel Insurance
Wondering if your travel insurance will cover you in the case of Hurricane Irma? TravelPulse has all the information you need.
Theme Parks
What you need to know if you have a Florida theme park vacation planned during Hurricane Irma.
Mark Murphy Talks Irma
President and CEO of travAlliancemedia Mark Murphy was a guest on FOX 29 Philadelphia Wednesday and provided travelers with some helpful insight regarding what to expect and how to prepare for a storm as massive as the category five Hurricane Irma.
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