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Downgraded Irma heads for Florida

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WASHINGTON: Hurricane Irma on Saturday took aim at the southern tip of Florida, where millions of people were either racing to evacuate their residences or hunkering down to ride out the massive storm. Officials in the state warned of “major life-threatening impacts from coast to coast” across the peninsula, which is home to 20 million people. The state remained on high alert even after Irma lost strength after battering the north coast of Cuba on Saturday morning. The National Hurricane Center said in its 11 am (15:00 GMT) advisory the massive storm weakened to a category-3 hurricane, with 205-km-per-hour winds, but added that it is forecast to restrengthen once it moves away from Cuba.


Florida has been under a state of emergency for days, with Governor Rick Scott issuing dire warnings for people to get out or take shelter. “This is an unbelievably massive, destructive storm. It’s a killer,” he said on Saturday morning on a South Florida affiliate of US broadcaster NBC. The hurricane centre on Saturday told residents of the Florida Keys they still had time to get out, but the window is rapidly closing. “Nowhere in the Florida Keys will be safe,” the centre said on Twitter.


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