Hot on the heels of the devastation wreaked by Harvey, Hurricane Irma is now heading towards the Caribbean, gathering strength with every passing hour.
Irma has now been upgraded to a Category 5 storm, the highest classification. A weather system of this category can whip up sustained winds exceeding 156mph. As comparison, Hurricane Harvey was a Category 3.
The Caribbean islands are on high alert ahead of the storm’s arrival. Boat owners have been warned to secure their craft, and residents have been advised to board up their properties.
Florida Governor Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency for all 67 Florida counties as Irma may make landfall down at the state’s southern tip
Irma is currently tracking on a westward course at a speed of about 14 mph just off the Caribbean Sea, about 270 miles (440 kilometers) east of Antigua.