Wilma on collision course with Florida

Hurricane Wilma charged toward south-west Florida early today as a Category 3 storm, packing wind gusts of 120 mph, spawning tornadoes and churning up walls of seawater that could make thousands of residents regret they defied evacuation orders.

Wilma was expected to bring a 17-foot storm surge when it makes landfall before dawn local time in the state’s south-west corner, likely near Naples and Marco Island, said National Hurricane Centre Director Max Mayfield.

“This is a very dangerous hurricane,” said Mayfield. “People need to take refuge.”

At 3am EDT (8am Irish time) today, Wilma was centred about 75 miles west-north-west of Key West, 95 miles south-west of Naples, and moving north-east at about 20 mph with no signs of weakening.

More than 22,600 people were in shelters across the state. But in the low-lying Florida Keys, not even 10 per cent of the Keys’ 78,000 residents evacuated, Sheriff Richard Roth said.

That could prove to be a mistake: While Wilma was not expected to make landfall over the Keys, the storm could bring a surge of 8 feet to sections of the low-lying island chain.

“They’re going to be in deep trouble,” warned Billy Wagner, the senior Monroe County emergency management director. Key West was already experiencing minor street flooding early today and a wind gust of 76 mph was measured there. Power cuts were reported in both the Keys and along the south-west side of the state.

Wilma’s imminent arrival was announced by at least four tornadoes – including one near Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral – that caused some structural damage, but no injuries.

Once ashore, the fast-moving hurricane was expected to slice north-east across the state at up to 25 mph, with the Atlantic Coast likely to get winds nearly as strong as those hitting the Gulf Coast.

“Less weakening should occur as compared to typical hurricanes moving over land,” said forecaster Stacy Stewart of the hurricane centre. “Therefore, Wilma is expected to be a Category 2 hurricane when it reaches the Florida east coast.”

Thirty-one counties – covering more than half the state’s population – were under a tornado watch. But not all residents took the warnings seriously at first.

George Delgado, of Miami, was still covering the windows of his house with plywood yesterday. He said he waited until the last minute to make sure the hours of work were necessary.

“I was hoping it would turn some other way,” Delgado said.

Governor Jeb Bush asked that Florida be granted a major disaster declaration for 14 counties. Many of the areas bracing for Wilma were hit by hurricanes in the past two years.

The National Guard was on alert, and state and federal officials had trucks of ice and food ready to deploy. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was poised to send in dozens of military helicopters and 13.2 million ready-to-eat meals if needed.

Wilma is Florida’s eighth hurricane in 15 months and prompted the fourth evacuation of the Keys this year. It earlier battered the Mexican coastline with howling winds and torrential rains.

At least three people were killed in Mexico. Thirteen others died in Jamaica and Haiti, and four bodies were found off Cozumel, though it wasn’t clear if they were killed by the storm.

Forecasters also monitored Tropical Depression Alpha, which became the record-breaking 22nd named storm of the 2005 Atlantic season.

Yesterday, Alpha pounded Haiti and the Dominican Republic with torrential rains and winds, sending rivers crashing over their banks, washing away homes and tossing debris into the streets. At least one person was killed in Haiti.

The storm was expected to move into the open Atlantic after brushing the south-eastern Bahamas. Alpha was not considered a threat to the United States.