Irma turns into a "very dangerous" hurricane and heads for the French islands in the Caribbean

Concerns are mounting in the French islands of the Caribbean as Hurricane Erma approaches its territory, with the islands of San Bartlame and San Martin being expected to suffer the worst damage. The strength of this hurricane fifth grade Tuesday and will be accompanied by winds and storms estimated at a speed of 360 km / h, according to meteorologists. Schools and government institutions have been closed in these threatened areas, while hospitals have stored medicines, food and drinking water.

Meteorologists have warned that Hurricane Irma has grown stronger on Tuesday and has become a fifth and "very dangerous" threat to floods as it approaches the Caribbean, the worst hurricane in nearly 20 years. While the land of the French islands in the Caribbean, including Guadeloupe, is expected to reach the land, before continuing to Haiti and Florida.

The American Center for Cyclone Control, based in Miami, said in a statement published at 12:00 GMT that Irma has increased strength and reached the fifth degree maximum, accompanied by storms of speed of 360 km / h. The hurricane is at 22 kilometers per hour (22 km / h) and is expected to cause 10 to 20 cm of rainfall when it reaches land. The Hurricane Center warned that "this amount of rain could cause floods and destructive collapses."

The hurricane is located 515 km east of the western Caribbean islands of Leeward, and the center called for "accelerating preparations for the protection of life and property until completion" in the region. The authorities ordered the closure of schools and government institutions in Guadeloupe, while hospitals stored medicines, food and drinking water. Authorities in Marigot, capital of Guadeloupe, said residents of coastal areas would be evacuated to safe areas.

The islands of San Bartlame and San Martin are expected to suffer the worst damage. The French governor of the islands, Ann Lopez, said that in Margo, the capital of San Martin, the hurricane was the biggest threat in 20 years and that more people were threatened in flood-prone areas due to population growth.

Danger to Florida

Hurricane Erma follows Hurricane Harvey, which swept into Texas and Louisiana late last month. The governor of Florida, Rick Scott, declared a state of emergency and said Erma was "a major threat to the entire state of Florida," a week after at least 42 people died in Hurricane Harvey.

People queued up to buy batteries and bottled water, with a large number of them cutting off the trees around their homes and tightening windows.
Class 5 hurricanes are rare and can carry deadly winds, violent storms and heavy rains. A cyclone with such force can destroy the roofs of buildings, break window glass and uproot palm trees into lethal projectiles.

Erema is expected to reach the land early on Wednesday, raise the water level to three meters above normal levels, 25 cm of rain in some areas and form "large, destructive waves", according to the National Hurricane Center.

Harvey, who carried 127 centimeters of rain into parts of Houston, turned neighborhoods into lakes and caused material damage estimated at $ 100 billion (85 billion euros), with a magnitude of four degrees.

Hurricane Irma is expected to cause 76.2 mm and 152 mm of rainfall on the North-Eastern Caribbean islands and 254 mm in some places in the northern region.