NASSAU – Powerful Hurricane Irene could pose a “big threat” to the densely populated northeast of the United States, including New York, as it swings up the eastern seaboard from Saturday on its current forecast track, the top US government hurricane forecaster said yesterday.
National Hurricane Centre director Bill Read gave the warning as Irene, now a major category three storm with winds of 115 miles per hour (185km/h), roared through the Bahamas on a path that will take it to the east coast by the weekend.
As it swept over the southeastern Bahamas, its winds tore off roofs and knocked out power. Some tourists fled Nassau and other resorts in the low-lying Atlantic archipelago, while others settled down in hotels, and cruise lines cancelled their Bahamas stops.
Forecasters think the hurricane will turn north today to miss Florida and Georgia and clip North Carolina’s Outer Banks region on Saturday afternoon. It is then likely to track up the US mid-Atlantic and New England coastline.
States from the Carolinas northward were on alert and evacuations were already under way in some exposed islands.
Earlier yesterday, Irene strengthened over the Bahamas to a major category three hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson intensity scale, posing a high risk of injury and death from flying and falling debris.
Even if the centre of the storm stays offshore as it tracks up the mid-Atlantic coast, the hurricane could lash cities including Washington and New York with winds and rain and cause coastal flooding and power cuts.
As forecasts of more than four days can have a margin of error of up to 200 miles (320km), officials have warned the entire eastern coast to be on the alert. The department of foreign affairs and trade issued a warning against all non-essential travel to the southern parts of the Bahamas.
The northeastern parts of the US were already nervous following a strong earthquake on Tuesday, which sent tremors as far as Canada and damaged buildings in Washington.
There were no reports of major damage or serious injuries from the 5.8 magnitude quake, which was centred in Mineral, Virginia.
– (Reuters)