Florida bracing for Hurricane Irma as it leaves devastation in its path
(KMSP) - Some six million people are under a hurricane watch including some of the most populated areas in Florida like Miami, Broward County, which is home to Ft. Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. As people in south Florida board up their homes and head north to escape Irma's wrath, several Caribbean islands are dealing with its aftermath.
In the Dominican Republic, torrential rains flooded parts of the island nation, damaging homes and leaving roads completely blocked by falling trees.
In Barbuda, the Prime Minister says the country is barely habitable after nearly every single home was damaged by the storm.
More than half of Barbuda's residents are now homeless and government officials say it could take millions of dollars and years to rebuild.
"What I saw was heart wrenching. I mean absolutely devastating," Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne said.
Even though Puerto Rico avoided the brunt of the storm, a million people are without power and 50,000 are without water after Irma sideswiped the island, knocking down trees and power lines and putting Florida in its cross hairs.
Orthopedic surgeon Jim Ross has spent the last couple of days stocking up on food and water and changing the locks on the storm shutters on his house.
He grew up in North St. Paul and moved to Lighthouse Point, which is about halfway between Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton, a couple of months ago.
"The good thing is we have a little bit of warning. Growing up in Minnesota when a tornado happens you have no opportunity to prepare, so at least we get a warning with this one," Ross said.
Ross' family packed up and drove to North Carolina on Wednesday after getting the mandatory evacuation order.
He plans to leave on a chartered plane Friday after securing his house.
"I'm happy my family is out of here," said Ross. "Hopefully I'll be out of here because I think to stick around could be a nightmare. And who knows? Maybe my family won't be able to make it back to Florida for a week or two. That's up in the air."