Tim G
Well-Known Member
Hurricane Prompts State Of Emergency In Florida, Georgia
Frances Packing Winds Of 140 MPH
UPDATED: 8:13 PM EDT September 1, 2004
MIAMI -- Just weeks after Hurricane Charley devastated parts of the state, another Category 4 hurricane is bearing down on Florida.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue have declared a state of emergency in their states as Frances roars toward the Bahamas and the southeastern U.S. coast.
Bush has activated the National Guard and advised hundreds of thousands of people to get ready to evacuate.
Frances is a Category 4 hurricane -- the second worst class -- packing winds of 140 mph. Forecasters say it could get stronger before making landfall in the United States.
As Frances closes in on the Bahamas, it's expected to fluctuate in intensity and could become a Category 5 storm with winds of 156 mph or higher.
The Florida evacuation orders apply to 500,000 or more people living in coastal areas on Florida's east coast. Authorities want them out of their homes by the middle of Thursday afternoon.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush urged residents to "take the time today" to get ready for Hurricane Frances, even though the storm forecasters don't expect Frances to hit anywhere from south Florida to South Carolina until late Friday or early Saturday.
Bush said folks should start protecting their homes and gassing up their cars. He's also asking tourists to postpone Labor Day trips to the state.
A hit from Frances would make it the worst double hurricane strike on one state in at least a century.
It's reminiscent of Labor Day 1935, when a particularly brutal storm hit the Florida Keys. The National Hurricane Center lists the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 as the most intense hurricane to ever hit the United States. It caused more than 400 deaths.
Palm Beach County officials have ordered the evacuation of 300,000 coastal residents, effective Thursday afternoon, ahead of Hurricane Frances.
Martin County plans to urge up to 7,500 residents to evacuate low-lying areas starting at noon Thursday. More evacuation orders are likely along Florida's East Coast. NASA said the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral will be closed Thursday and Friday to allow workers time to board up their homes and evacuate if necessary.
National Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield says he can't emphasize enough how powerful Frances is, adding he doesn't see any sign of weakening.
Folks already are preparing. About two dozen people lined up Wednesday morning at a Home Depot store in suburban Miami to buy such things as generators, tarps, flashlights and batteries. The store's assistant manager said as fast as they come in, people are buying them.
State officials are worried about finding hotel rooms and shelters if people have to be evacuated. Many hotel rooms in the southern half of the state are occupied by people left homeless by Charley and emergency workers from other states. But Federal Emergency Management Agency officials say they're ready if Frances hits.
Frances Packing Winds Of 140 MPH
UPDATED: 8:13 PM EDT September 1, 2004
MIAMI -- Just weeks after Hurricane Charley devastated parts of the state, another Category 4 hurricane is bearing down on Florida.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue have declared a state of emergency in their states as Frances roars toward the Bahamas and the southeastern U.S. coast.
Bush has activated the National Guard and advised hundreds of thousands of people to get ready to evacuate.
Frances is a Category 4 hurricane -- the second worst class -- packing winds of 140 mph. Forecasters say it could get stronger before making landfall in the United States.
As Frances closes in on the Bahamas, it's expected to fluctuate in intensity and could become a Category 5 storm with winds of 156 mph or higher.
The Florida evacuation orders apply to 500,000 or more people living in coastal areas on Florida's east coast. Authorities want them out of their homes by the middle of Thursday afternoon.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush urged residents to "take the time today" to get ready for Hurricane Frances, even though the storm forecasters don't expect Frances to hit anywhere from south Florida to South Carolina until late Friday or early Saturday.
Bush said folks should start protecting their homes and gassing up their cars. He's also asking tourists to postpone Labor Day trips to the state.
A hit from Frances would make it the worst double hurricane strike on one state in at least a century.
It's reminiscent of Labor Day 1935, when a particularly brutal storm hit the Florida Keys. The National Hurricane Center lists the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 as the most intense hurricane to ever hit the United States. It caused more than 400 deaths.
Palm Beach County officials have ordered the evacuation of 300,000 coastal residents, effective Thursday afternoon, ahead of Hurricane Frances.
Martin County plans to urge up to 7,500 residents to evacuate low-lying areas starting at noon Thursday. More evacuation orders are likely along Florida's East Coast. NASA said the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral will be closed Thursday and Friday to allow workers time to board up their homes and evacuate if necessary.
National Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield says he can't emphasize enough how powerful Frances is, adding he doesn't see any sign of weakening.
Folks already are preparing. About two dozen people lined up Wednesday morning at a Home Depot store in suburban Miami to buy such things as generators, tarps, flashlights and batteries. The store's assistant manager said as fast as they come in, people are buying them.
State officials are worried about finding hotel rooms and shelters if people have to be evacuated. Many hotel rooms in the southern half of the state are occupied by people left homeless by Charley and emergency workers from other states. But Federal Emergency Management Agency officials say they're ready if Frances hits.
