Storm-battered Florida began the long road to recovery on Tuesday, as aid began arriving in cities hit by the hurricane and residents were allowed to start returning to the upper islands of the Florida Keys, one of the worst-affected regions.
Almost two thirds of homes across the state remain without power two days after Hurricane Irma tore up Florida’s peninsula. Authorities warned of fuel shortages across the south-east of the US as a result of Hurricane Irma arriving so soon after Hurricane Harvey knocked out refining facilities and terminals in Texas.
Irma, since downgraded to a tropical storm, has been linked to 11 deaths across the US. The latest was a 55-year-old man who died when his chainsaw became entangled in a fallen branch, causing it to kick up and cut his carotid artery. But now the hundreds of thousands of people who fled the impending wall of wind at the end of last week can think about returning home and beginning the clean-up.
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Read more:
Florida residents count their blessing as hurricane heads away
Hurricane Irma: a trail of destruction
Hurricane Irma diary: A city under curfew and a tornado warning
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All around Fort Lauderdale, which missed the eye of the storm, people who stayed behind spent Tuesday raking up fallen branches, repairing fences and returning satellite dishes to roofs. InJacksonville, the storm caused record flooding
Further south, residents of the Florida Keys know they could be returning to a disaster zone. It was here that Irma roared ashore on Key Cudjoe as a powerful category four storm on Sunday morning. Officials have been checking the integrity of bridges that connect the island chain to the mainland and to each other and are now allowing residents and business owners to begin returning to Key Largo, the main island at the northern end of the chain, as well as the towns of Tavernier and Islamorada, further to the south.
However, returnees were warned that recovery efforts would be painstakingly slow and the advice was not to stay long.
Brock Long, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said: “This is going to be a frustrating event. It's going to take some time to let people back into their homes particularly in the Florida Keys.”
A local county commissioner also said that people had been killed there. "We are finding some remains," Heather Carruthers told CNN, without providing further details.
Meanwhile, the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln arrived off the east coast of Florida. It was due to be joined by two amphibious assault ships as part of an effort to distribute food to people in the Keys and to help remove about 10,000 residents who did not leave before the storm.
President Donald Trump took to Twitter to praise the recovery effort.
“The devastation left by Hurricane Irma was far greater, at least in certain locations, than anyone thought — but amazing people working hard,” he wrote.
Elsewhere, several southern airports — including Fort Lauderdale and Miami International — resumed limited passenger services. Utility companies reported more than seven million homes and businesses remain without electricity in Florida and neighbouring states and warned that it could take weeks to restore a full service.
In all, the repair bill will run into tens of billions of dollars in damage and lost economic output. The cost of insurance pay-outs alone could amount to $40 billion (Dh 146 billion), according to the catastrophe modelling firm AIR Worldwide.
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Read more:
As natural disasters increase, insurance industry feels strain
Hurricane Irma forces evacuation at Centcom headquarters in Florida
Emirates cancels flights to Florida as Hurricane Irma closes in
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In Fort Lauderdale, lorries from the local power company could be seen travelling in convoy before first light as they set about trying to restore electricity supplies. Their first priority was restoring power to traffic lights, many of which had failed, thus raising the risk of accidents.Stores gradually began to open.
“We were open yesterday,” said Nelson, owner of American Coffee Shop, one of the few diners open in the immediate aftermath. “I had to get the milk myself, driving all over town to find somewhere open.”
The longest car line was not for the handful of petrol stations that had supplies, but for a McDonald’s drive-thru in North Fort Lauderdale.
Many across the state are counting their blessings. It could have been much worse if Irma had continued on its predicted course and slammed into Miami as a category four or five storm. Instead it tracked west, dumping its rain and fury on the unpopulated Everglades, and weakening rapidly over land. But it still set records as the longest-lasting powerful hurricane or typhoon ever recorded anywhere in the world.
Phil Klotzblache, a research scientist at Colorado State University, said it maintained winds of 300kph for 37 hours making it the "the longest any cyclone around the globe has maintained that intensity on record". The previous record was held by Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated the Philippines in 2013.
Irma also held hurricane status for almost 12 days and for more than three days was a category five storm, putting it on a par with a hurricane that struck Cuba in 1932.
Caribbean islands bore the brunt of that intense power. Irma was responsible for nearly 40 deaths, a number that has been ticking upward day by day.
Sir Richard Branson, the British billionaire, said most of the buildings and vegetation on his private island Necker had been destroyed or damaged.
In a statement posted on Virgin’s website he added that he was looking at ways to help aid agencies in their emergency response, having seen "first-hand how ferocious and unforgiving this storm was".
He and his team hunkered down in a wine cellar to escape the storm as it barrelled through the Caribbean and the 50 or so British Virgin Islands last week.
“We will do whatever we can to support and assist our local community through this extremely testing time. If our really strong buildings sustained such damage, I am so worried for elsewhere in the BVI and Caribbean,” he said.
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Read more:
Uprooted trees, houses crushed and flooding: Cuba feels the force of Irma
What we know about hurricanes Irma and Jose: facts, figures, forecast
Disaster relief: lessons from the Chicago Fire of 1871
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Who are the Soroptimists?
The first Soroptimists club was founded in Oakland, California in 1921. The name comes from the Latin word soror which means sister, combined with optima, meaning the best.
The organisation said its name is best interpreted as ‘the best for women’.
Since then the group has grown exponentially around the world and is officially affiliated with the United Nations. The organisation also counts Queen Mathilde of Belgium among its ranks.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Planes grounded by coronavirus
British Airways: Cancels all direct flights to and from mainland China
Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific: Cutting capacity to/from mainland China by 50 per cent from Jan. 30
Chicago-based United Airlines: Reducing flights to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong
Ai Seoul: Suspended all flights to China
Finnair: Suspending flights to Nanjing and Beijing Daxing until the end of March
Indonesia's Lion Air: Suspending all flights to China from February
South Korea's Asiana Airlines, Jeju Air and Jin Air: Suspend all flights
The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
RIVER%20SPIRIT
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Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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THE DETAILS
Deadpool 2
Dir: David Leitch
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Justin Dennison, Zazie Beetz
Four stars
What is a calorie?
A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of nutritional energy generated from what is consumed.
One calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C.
A kilocalorie represents a 1,000 true calories of energy.
Energy density figures are often quoted as calories per serving, with one gram of fat in food containing nine calories, and a gram of protein or carbohydrate providing about four.
Alcohol contains about seven calories a gram.
