Wilma storms to Florida

2005-10-23 09:04

Key West - A hurricane warning was issued late on Saturday for Florida's entire southern peninsula as residents streamed out of the Keys and coastal communities under mandatory evacuation orders, and state and federal officials prepared for the worst.

The warning - covering hundreds of kilometres south of Tampa Bay, as well as the Florida Keys and the Dry Tortugas - means hurricane conditions could be expected within 24 hours.

02:00 (06:00 GMT) on Sunday, Wilma was a Category 2 storm with sustained winds near 160km/h and had begun drifting to the north-northeast after moving slowly along the Mexican coast, the National Hurricane Centre said.

The storm was centered about 90km north of Cancun, Mexico, or about 595km west-southwest of Key West, but forecasters expected strong wind currents to quickly steer it toward Florida.

Dozens of military helicopters and 13.2 million ready-to-eat meals were already on standby in Florida, and state emergency officials vowed a fast response.

"We will not wait for the winds to stop blowing, we won't wait for the sky to turn blue," said Craig Fugate, the state's emergency management director.

"We're ready for Wilma and, whatever the storm brings, we're set to go," said Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman Butch Kinerney.

With hurricane force winds stretching for 275km, Wilma could devastate a large swath of Florida, and computer models showed its route could come close to that of 2004's Hurricane Charley.

If it hits Florida as a Category 2 hurricane, the state's gulf coast could see a 3.5 to 4-metre storm surge. If it strengthens to a Category 3, that surge could be 5 metre, forecasters said.

The hurricane already has been blamed for at least 20 deaths in Mexico and the Caribbean.

In Florida, Wilma's outer bands were already causing problems Saturday, as they dumped more than 13cm of rain on the Fort Lauderdale area, leaving one area hip-deep in water and forcing people out of at least 50 apartments and houses.

Another 10 to 20cm of rain was expected in southern Florida through Tuesday, with 30cm possible in some areas as Wilma arrives.

"We've got two more days before the hurricane. What are we going to do?" asked Belinda Orange, 31, whose Oakland Park home had up to a 30cm of water.

- AP