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[sluissa]

That particular clip involving the truck was making the rounds on the internet several weeks ago, I question if any of the clips in that video were actually from Irma.

[smjjames]

I'm looking at the video of Barbuda...that place is just gone. The commentator keeps saying 95% destroyed, and that may be a slight exaggeration...but only slight.

Haven't heard anything in a while about the hurricane that was chasing Irma. Did it just fizzle out, or is it still looming?

Seems to be expected to make a loop later out in the open ocean. The ensemble looks like it's mainly saying that it'll stay out at sea, but it really seems like it's anybody's guess as to where it'll go once it finishes that loop.

@Ispil: NHC is saying that Tampa could see the eye of the hurricane, so, yeah, wise decision to get outta there.

[Frumple]

Seems that pretty much the entire state could potentially see the eye at this point, tbh, ha. Still, yeah. Glad you got out, isp.

Also good gods, but the trouble with being around old people. Grandparent was saying they had seen the news say irma was already in the fucking gulf. Also saying there's no chance in hell they'll leave even if the storm does do that. Which'll be interesting if it does and they're actually that insistent. I've never tied someone up and physically forced them into a vehicle before.

Damned thing does look like it's projected further west than it was last I saw it. Not actually into the gulf, but potentially skimming up the west coast.

[RedKing]

Yeah, latest track as of 2pm seemed to skirt along the Gulf coast rather than Atlantic coast. Tampa expected to get a direct hit now. Winds will be higher for the Gulf cities too, 100mph+.

[smjjames]

I don't think the eye is quite THAT big Frumple, but the storm is wider than the whole state, so, the whole state is going to feel some effect on it. I guess if you want to get technical, the outer bands are in the gulf.

About where are you in the panhandle frumple?

And yeah, the projections are showing it more along the west coast than previously. NHC has already said that Tampa could see the eye. Gonna be crazy if the eye rides the coast for a long period of time.

[martinuzz]

Dutch demissionary PM Rutte has warned the inhabitants of St. Maarten that the Dutch military personell on the island will henceforth take 'hard measures' against plundering and other lawlessness. He will confirm nor deny that this includes being allowed to fire live rounds in cases other than self defense. He just replied to that question that "hard measures mean, that you don't want to find out what those are".

There are now 230 soldiers on the island trying to provide aid, and restore order. People are no longer plundering supermarkets for food and water, the few supermarkets that weren't plundered donated all their stock to the military to supply to those that are in need. The island's car dealer donated all cars that were still working to aid the food and water distribution as well.

Plundering does continue though in hotels, homes and stores.

EDIT: this could become a political nightmare for Rutte. Technically, St. Maarten is no longer Dutch, it became an independent nation a few years ago, although financially it is under curatele of the Netherlands, and there's a lot of trouble with corruption ever since the independence.

As an independent nation, it should have it's own police restore order. But then again, local police are sparse, if they can be found at all, and aren't plundering themselves. St. Maarten does not have a military of it's own.

Early damage assessments think it could very well be over 2 billion euros of damage on the island. 1995 hurrican Luis caused 1.2 billion in damages, the damage now is way more extensive.
To put that in perspective, the yearly state budget of St. Maarten is slightly less than 200 million euros. They are never going to be able to cope with the financial damages themselves.
90% Of St. Maarten's budget comes from tourism. It's already been decided that rebuilding will focus on the harbor, airport and hotels rather than people's homes, because without tourism, there is no economy, nor jobs for people.

[smjjames]

Isn't St. Maarten/Marten still split between French and Dutch sides though?

It's already been decided that rebuilding will focus on the harbor, airport and hotels rather than people's homes, because without tourism, there is no economy, nor jobs for people.

Ouch. It does make sense to get the harbor and airport up and running ASAP though.

[martinuzz]

Isn't St. Maarten/Marten still split between French and Dutch sides though?

Yes, St. Maarten still has one half of the island that is French territory, the Dutch half is a bit like Australia, in that it still hails the Dutch King as their King, yet has an independent government.

[Greiger]

First off, looks like truck man deserved his darwin award, Irma or no.  Even the most jaded and battle hardened floridian isn't stupid enough to try to hold a truck upright in a hurricane.  If he was taking shelter from the wind there were about a dozen better places for that, including getting out from behind the truck and crawling... well, ANYWHERE but behind a 2 ton windsail of a truck.  Hell if it was his truck he woulda even been safer inside it.

Second, holy shit at that tree.  I've seen trees get blown over in hurricanes but that thing just frikkin disintegrated.

[smjjames]

Maybe it's slow to turn? Wouldn't be the first time Mother Nature gave a middle finger to forecasters. It's also moving pretty slow atm, 9mph according to NOAA.

[misko27]

If you put a microphone in Irma right now and analyzed the sound, you'd faintly hear an extremely slowed down version of the Jaws theme.

[smjjames]

Not to alarm you too much, but Tampa is one of the most vulnerable cities in the world to flooding from a major storm. While Irma won't be a Cat5 when it hits, it and the storm surge will still be pretty strong.

The whole of southern Florida is gonna get wrecked anyway.

Anyways, wasn't that hurricane hunter guy going to do a periscope feed sometime tonight?

[Loud Whispers]

Spoiler: fucking hell florida man (click to show/hide)

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Piotrowski is online for the eyewall.

[smjjames]

Lol his hutticane typo. Also, where is he? The eye made landfall (second landfall actually, somehow) at Marco island. Not sure where on the Flordia coast that is.

Connection is kind of spotty atm.