Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
[image alt="Tropical Weather" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2017/09/tropical-weather-31-296x174.jpg" width="296" height="174" credit-source="NASA" credit-via="AP" caption="Satellite%20image%20of%20Hurricane%20Maria" class="alignnone" /end]
HURRICANE MARIA IS expected to become majorly dangerous as it blasts towards the eastern Caribbean, a region already struggling to recover from megastorm Irma.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Maria had intensified to a Category Two storm as it approached the French territory of Guadeloupe, the base for relief operations for several islands hit by Irma this month.
Guadeloupe was on ‘red alert’ today with schools, businesses and government offices ordered to close, as was neighbouring Martinique, which is also part of France.
Each has a population of around 400,000 people.
The hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometres an hour according to the NHC, is expected to hit Guadeloupe at around midday local time (4pm Irish time).
It was expected to strengthen further into a Category Three “major hurricane”, the NHC warned.
Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis and the British island of Montserrat are also on alert.
[image alt="British Virgin Islands Hurricane Irma" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2017/09/british-virgin-islands-hurricane-irma-296x222.jpg" width="296" height="222" credit-source="Guillermo%20Houwer" credit-via="AP" caption="The%20aftermath%20of%20Hurricane%20Irma%20on%20Virgin%20Gorda%20in%20the%20British%20Virgin%20Islands." class="alignnone" /end]
French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb warned in Paris yesterday that “we will have major difficulties” if Guadeloupe is hard hit, noting the territory was “the logistical centre from where we could supply St Martin and organise all the airlifts”.
Irma killed 15 people on St Martin, an island shared by France and the Netherlands.
Officials in Guadeloupe predicted severe flooding in low-lying areas and urged residents to move to higher ground.
France, Britain and the Netherlands have been criticised for the pace of relief efforts and for struggling to contain lawlessness in their overseas territories amid widespread shortages of food, water and electricity after Irma.
‘Culture of risk’
But in Guadeloupe’s capital Pointe-a-Pitre, local official Josette Borel-Lincertin said authorities had ample experience of preparing for hurricanes.
“We have a culture of risk, we know what needs to be done,” she said.
Collomb said an additional 110 soldiers would be deployed to the region to reinforce about 3,000 people already at work tackling security problems, rebuilding infrastructure and supplying food and water to hurricane-hit islanders.
He said up to 500 more people could be sent if needed.
Irma, a Category Five hurricane, left around 40 people dead in the Caribbean before churning west and pounding Florida, where at least 20 people were killed.
As of 12pm Irish time, the storm was swirling about 135 kilometres east of Martinique, according to the NHC, on track to barrel across the eastern Caribbean later today and into the night.
[image alt="British Virgin Islands Hurricane Irma" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2017/09/british-virgin-islands-hurricane-irma-2-296x222.jpg" width="296" height="222" credit-source="Guillermo%20Houwer" credit-via="AP" caption="Storm%20damage%20to%20the%20Biras%20Creek%20Resort%20in%20the%20aftermath%20of%20Hurricane%20Irma%20on%20Virgin%20Gorda%20in%20the%20British%20Virgin%20Islands." class="alignnone" /end]
Tropical storm warnings were in place in Antigua and Barbuda, Saba and St Eustatius, and St Lucia.
The tiny island of Barbuda was decimated by Hurricane Irma between 5 and 6 September, when it made its first landfall in the Caribbean as a top-intensity Category Five storm.
The NHC said Maria could produce a “dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and destructive waves” that would raise water levels by four to six feet when it passes through the eastern Caribbean.
It also forecasts maximum potential rainfall of 20 inches in the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico and the US and British Virgin Islands through Wednesday night – conditions that could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
Recent hurricanes
A second hurricane, Jose, is also active in the Atlantic and has triggered tropical storm warnings for the northeastern US.
Irma broke weather records when it whipped up winds of 295 kilometres per hour for more than 33 continuous hours.
Many scientists are convinced that megastorms such as Irma, and Harvey before it, are intensified by the greater energy they can draw from oceans that are warming as a result of climate change.
Persecution complex. No interest in the royal family but they’re well rid of him.
@Paul Shepherd: Diana would be proud of him.
He has totally lost the plot.
Their going a odd way of staying out of the limelight
@Gerry k: They never said they want out of the limelight completely. There’s a difference between living in a fishbowl and being hounded by the UK gutter press with your every breath scrutinised and having your own output into the world. Being in that RF would mess anyone up, they’re right to get out. Can’t behave and interact like normal human beings
@Megan Finnegan Ward: Their own input is a reality show on the soon to be doomed Netflix. Thats some contribution.
@Pauline Gallagher: Whether it’s great or a load of shite is irrelevant to the point that there is a difference between being hounded by the press and having the Daily Mail post crap about you every day and having a voice where you actually get to give your own opinions. Don’t have to like either of them to understand the difference and that they never said they wanted to go live in a cave and never be seen or heard again. Mind, anyone who gets away from that family is doing something right imo, poisonous
“dirty game ” How many people would put up with that for $100 million Netflix paycheck . How can they stretch an 8 part out of constant moaning and whining . No more please
Zunts
I believe they were right to get out. I can only imagine the awful family feuds and nasty manipulation that goes on. There’s too much money and a very high profile institution to protect. Harry is his own man unlike his father, brother and uncles. Good luck to him.
@2thFairy: he’s not a man, he’s a wimp. He is on the royal paycheck still, he has never had a proper job, just spends his days thinking up ways of attacking his family. He is the eternal victim and actually believes his own hype, even though its completely out of proportion now. He doesn’t seem to understand how privileged he is. He lost his mother,but some kids have lost both parents even younger, are homeless, have no education, no happy childhood. They have both made this into something it is not. They have each other, 2 beautiful kids, mansions to live in, more money than they will ever need but they’re still seeking out the limelight with this battle. NOBODY CARES ANYMORE.
I never even knew Megan was mixed race until they mentioned it all the time, I just thought she was a beautiful woman. I don’t know. They deserve each other.
I’d rather watch paint dry. I can’t understand the facination about the royal family. Completely and utter stupidly.
@Joe Lynch: You don’t have to watch it.
You still somehow felt compelled to read this article and comment on it. But yeah sure, you certainly won’t watch the documentary that threatens to embarrass the Royal Family that you’d love to see embarrassed.
@Conor King: Prince Andrew has already embarrassed the royal family,way more than a Netflix documentary ever will Conor. Iam with joe on this one.
@Conor King: oh boo hoo.
People are entitled to express opinions mate – including ones that are different to yours and about things they don’t like.
Life isn’t all marshmallows, unicorns and rainbows.
@UK Hurling Bloke: You know someone pointing out that it’s funny when people go out of their way to read and comment on articles about things they declare they have no interest on (because we’d all be exhausted if we did that on everything we saw and have no interest on) isn’t ‘not liking other opinions’ and wanting life to be all happy clappy yeah?
@Conor King: Conor I am with Joe. I do not have to watch it and I will not watch it. That institution is a disgrace and so is the British establishment. All parties deserve each other
@Michael J Foley: Cool story Michael. I can tell you have no interest in the Royal Family because you clicked on this article and read it right down to the comment section.
I’m so sick of hearing about those two. It’s like they’re the only thing on the planet to talk about. I can’t imagine why anyone even cares at this stage
Himself and the missus could have just gone to ground and live the quiet life. They are probably more of a pap magnet now then ever.
Reading a description of a one minute visual trailer is a fascinating experience. I’m so glad I did it.
Who really give a s—- about them. There are wars, people homeless, people losing jobs. Spoilt overpaid publicity seeking unimportant insignificant people.
As.someone said ‘ there’s 3 truths to every story ,your truth ,my truth and the real truth ‘. But the situation where you have an heir and a.spare is the root of Harry’s intense misery I believe .He follows on from his grand aunt Margaret who seems to have been equally embittered by her 2nd.fiddle position in the family . Why they can’t create a proper role for the 2nd in line I just don’t know .
Will the family take him back when she divorces him in a year or so ????
There’ll be some craic above in heaven watching that
Everything I know about this couple, I learned against my will.
Tell someone who gives a sh!t!!!!!
The ‘dirty game’ must be the nickname he uses for the wife…
Easy to see who reads UK gutter press here.
have your say