As the threat from Hurricane Florence bore down on America’s east coast on Thursday, President Donald Trump hit Democrats for what he called “Bad politics,” with the president asserting that his political enemies had invented death tolls stemming from hurricanes Maria and Irma – which battered Puerto Rico in 2017.
“3000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico. When I left the Island, AFTER the storm had hit, they had anywhere from 6 to 18 deaths,” Trump tweeted.
Alabama junior Senator Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) was quick to condemn Trump for his remarks.
“He’s dead wrong and it’s just frustrating when he denies reality sometimes in order to protect himself,” Jones said. (more…)
Six days ago, Hurricane Irma’s massive reach covered a 364-mile footprint, roughly the size of Pennsylvania. With that breadth, she slammed into the Caribbean as a full-strength, Category 5 hurricane, sowing widespread destruction and claiming the lives of 38 people.
According to Quartz.com, “Irma was the strongest storm ever on record in the Atlantic, outside of the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico” and it was “the most powerful hurricane ever to hit the Leeward Islands, including Barbuda, Anguilla, and Saint Martin.”
Next, the monstrous storm careened into Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, but still packing a punch of 130-mph winds and massive waves, hammering Miami, Naples, Tampa Bay, and other towns across the Sunshine state. CNN reported that FEMA is estimating an amazing 25% of homes in the Florida Keys were destroyed and another 65% have major damage. The network reported that 15 million people still have no power in the state, although a subsequent CNN story said 2.3 million Floridians had power restored today.
Yesterday, Irma continued her onslaught of heavy rain and high winds through northern Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and eastern Alabama, causing flooding, power outages, and downed trees. Charleston, S.C. saw a nearly 10-foot storm surge, and for the first time since Hurricane Hugo in 1989, historic homes along the city’s battery and famous Rainbow Row took on water. More than 1.3 million homes had no power in Georgia and 161,000 South Carolinian’s were left in the dark.
According to ABC News, Irma claimed 12 lives in the U.S. in addition to the 38 in the Caribbean.
Now characterized by Weather.com as a “post-tropical cyclone,” Irma is a shadow of its weekend strength and is now dumping a steady soaking over north Alabama, while the rest of the state, along with our southern neighbors, begins to dry out and clean up.
Alabama Power estimates 71,000 of their customers were affected by Irma. At 9:00 am today they Tweeted: “This morning we’re shifting crews to help in the hardest hit areas. 20,000 outages statewide.” An hour ago, they updated the situation, Tweeting, “Our crews have worked since yesterday to restore service to nearly 57,000 customers” and added in a second post, “A reminder, our customer service team is listening here from 7a-10p on weekdays and 8a-9p on weekends. #PowerTo #Alabama.”
Before Irma made landfall, over 6 million of Florida’s 20 million residents were ordered to evacuate the state, and many came to Alabama. Today, they’re determining when and how to head home. In counties surrounding the Florida Keys, 320 shelters are offering aid and refuge to at least 54,000 residents in need.
For those wondering about gas prices, the GasBuddy App tracks prices at different stations and indicates which ones are distributing fuel. With respect to air travel, Irma forced the cancellation of 12,587 flights Sunday and some airlines are now waiving change fees as customers scramble to reschedule their flights.
As we reported yesterday, President Trump acknowledged that an emergency exists in the State of Alabama due to Irma and has ordered Federal assistance to supplement “State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Irma beginning on September 8, 2017, and continuing.”
Thankfully, Irma didn’t hit Alabama as hard as originally expected, so many in the Yellowhammer state are now turning their attention to their southern neighbors to offer a helping hand—just as they did to thousands of Texans in the wake of Harvey.
Editor’s Note: Anna Grace Moore contributed to this article.
A 9-year-old boy is proving that generosity comes in all shapes and sizes. According to The Weather Channel, Landon Routzong was getting lunch at a Chick-Fil-A in Troy on Friday, when he noticed that the car in front of them had a Florida license plate. Landon had been wanting to help the evacuees from Hurricane Irma in any way that he could, and decided that he wanted to pay for their meal. So, after getting permission from his mother, Landon got out of the car, walked over to the drive thru window, and handed the cashier his money.
“The man has left his home in Miami and was passing through to go stay with family in Birmingham. I told him we hoped he returned to his house untouched and that we’d keep him in our thoughts,” Tara Parker Routzong’s Facebook post said.
The Chick-Fil-A is located along a major evacuation route and has seen a big increase in customers fleeing from the storm.
Landon told ABC News, “I didn’t want them to waste their money on food because they’re trying to escape the hurricane. I felt like I should help out.”
Tara’s post has been shared hundreds of times. Landon’s generosity is a reminder of the love and support we are all able to show to each other, especially in times of need.
President Trump declared today that an emergency exists in the State of Alabama. For this reason, he ordered Federal assistance to supplement “State, tribal, and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Hurricane Irma beginning on September 8, 2017, and continuing.”
As the White House media advisory stated:
The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts. This action will help alleviate the hardship and suffering that the emergency may inflict on the local population, and provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property, and ensure public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in 67 counties and the Poarch Creek Indian Tribe in the State of Alabama.
FEMA’s job is to “identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment, and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding.”
As reported by WKRG News, Mobile Mayor, Sandy Stimpson, held a press conference earlier today laying out preparations the city is taking to handle the influx of hurricane Irma evacuees it expects in the coming days.
With the Public Safety Director and Fire Chief by his side, Mayor Stimpson asked that all evacuees entering Mobile to call 211 on their phone. This will provide them with the information they need to access the resources the city is providing.
Hurricane Irma is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, and it’s expected to cause catastrophic damage wherever it makes land fall. The current scientific consensus points to the storm turning East, hitting close to Miami, but anything is possible at this point.
In his press conference, Mayor Stimpson said, “ We will feel the impact of Irma no matter where it goes. If you think of those evacuating from Florida, where will they go? One of the things pointed out in the meeting; they’ll get on Interstate-10 and go westward.”
Mobile Public Safety Director, James Barber, made it clear that Mobile is working with organizations like the Red Cross to ensure that the city has backup resources should it become overwhelmed by large numbers of refugees.
Irma isn’t expected to impact the U.S. mainland until sometime late Sunday. However, necessities like food and water are already disappearing from shelves in Florida.
As Category 5 Hurricane Irma approaches Florida, Alabama farmers and agriculture officials hope to help our neighbors in any way possible. According to WSFA, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries will be opening four temporary sheltering facilities to house evacuated Florida livestock.
“Hurricane Irma, upgraded to a Category 5 storm with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph, has the capability of causing catastrophic damage. We stand ready to assist our neighbors in Florida, by providing a place for those who need shelter for their livestock,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan.
Dr. Tony Frazier, Alabama’s state veterinarian, has been in close contact with Florida’s state veterinarian, Dr. Michael Short about which animals to evacuate. According to Frazier and the ADAI, the evacuated livestock will be exempt from veterinary inspection.
The four temporary sheltering facilities include:
- Covington Center Arena; Andalusia, AL
- Garrett Coliseum; Montgomery, AL
- Houston County Farm Center; Dothan, AL
- 5 County Complex; New Brockton, AL
If more facilities are needed, they will be posted on the ADAI’s website.
The ADAI is requesting that the owners of the evacuated livestock bring necessary supplies such as feed, water, records of feeding, vaccinations, and proof of ownership.
In the wake of the destruction caused by so many recent hurricanes, the citizens of Alabama continue to show their love and support for their neighbors.