Florida Keys being evacuated for hurricane Irma

Florida Keys has issued a mandatory evacuation order for all tourists in the area due to a category 5 storm being named Hurricane Irma. To facilitate evacuation, all toll roads will be free.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said mass evacuations may even be required on the Florida mainland and all 7,000 members of the Florida National Guard will report for duty from Friday. There are even fears that Miami may be affected.

Before it reaches the Sunshine State, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and Cuba stand in its likely path. A second, yet unamed, storm could also follow.

Current travel advice (as of 10:00am GMT 7th September 2017) is:

• Anguilla - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to Anguilla from around 6 September 2017. You should follow the advice of the local authorities and any evacuation orders.
• Antigua and Barbuda - you can find further information on the impact of Hurricane Irma on the website of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
• Bonaire/St Eustatius/Saba - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to St Eustatius and Saba from around Wednesday 6 September 2017; you should follow the advice of the local authorities and any evacuation orders.
• Dominica - you can find further information on the impact of Hurricane Irma on the website of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
• Dominican Republic - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to the Dominican Republic from 6 September 2017; you should follow the advice of the local authorities and your tour operator; you can monitor updates on the Twitter accounts of the COE Disaster Management Agency and the British Embassy in Santo Domingo; any evacuation of hotels to shelters will be decided and carried out by local tourist police, CESTUR; if you’re required to evacuate, keep your passport and important documents with you.
• Guadeloupe - you can find further information on the impact of Hurricane Irma on the website of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
• Haiti - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to northern parts of Haiti from around Wednesday 6 September 2017; northern coastal areas are likely to be particularly affected and access to assistance in more remote areas may be limited; you should follow the advice of the local authorities and any evacuation orders and you can monitor updates on the Twitter account of the British Embassy in Haiti
• Martinique - you can find further information on the impact of Hurricane Irma on the website of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
• Montserrat - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to north-eastern parts of the Caribbean from around Wednesday 6 September 2017; you should follow the advice of the local authorities and any evacuation orders.
• St Lucia - you can find further information on the impact of Hurricane Irma on the website of theCaribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency .
• St Vincent and the Grenadines - you can find further information on the impact of Hurricane Irma on the website of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency .
• Turks and Caicos Islands - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to parts of the Turks and Caicos Islands from around 6 September 2017. You should follow the advice of the local authorities and any evacuation orders.
• British Virgin Islands - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to north-eastern parts of the Caribbean from around Wednesday 6 September 2017; you should follow the advice of the local authorities and any evacuation orders.
• Cuba - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to Cuba from around Thursday 7 September 2017; you should follow the advice of the local authorities and any orders given to evacuate to or remain in a place of safety. The Cuban Government has announced a state of Alert for the Provinces of Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Holguin, Las Tunas, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Villa Clara. Tour operators, hotels and owners of casas particulares should be aware of the advice in place in each area.
• USA - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to Puerto Rico and north-eastern parts of the Caribbean from around Wednesday 6 September 2017, and to Florida from the evening of Friday 8 September 2017. The authorities in Puerto Rico and Florida have declared a state of emergency. You should follow the advice of the local authorities and any evacuation orders.
• Bahamas - Hurricane Irma is forecast to bring hazardous sea and weather conditions to the Bahamas from around 7 September 2017; you should follow the advice of the local authorities and any evacuation orders

Hurricane Irma: advice for British nationals