The U.S. military is evacuating nearly 5,000 personnel from a key Naval air station and ordering two warships on standby in response to Category 5 Hurricane Irma, which is expected to bear down on the Florida coast in the coming days.
U.S. Navy Commander of the Region Southeast Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar ordered “mandatory evacuation of non-essential personnel and dependents from NAS Key West to safe haven within 300 miles of Atlanta, Georgia,” Navy spokesman Bill Dougherty said in a statement.
Navy spokesperson Trice Denny told Military Times some evacuations have even been issued “as far up the coast as Atlanta, Georgia.”
The evacuation of Naval Air Station Key West will include Navy aircraft, helicopters, and even submarines. Bolivar is not evacuating the Naval base and prison at Guantanamo bay where the storm is expected to pass closely by.
“Joint Task Force Guantanamo is closely monitoring the progress of Irma and is taking appropriate measures to ensure the safety of the detainees. Plans and procedures are in place to ensure for the safety of the detainees throughout this event,” a Pentagon spokesman told CNN.
The U.S. Navy is also preparing nearby warships to assist in disaster relief operations if necessary. GOP Florida Gov. Rick Scott has also activated several thousand members of the Florida National Guard with 7,000 expected to report to duty.
“It cannot be overstated that Hurricane Irma is extremely dangerous and will produce the full gamut of hurricane hazards across the Caribbean and potentially in South Florida, including a devastating storm surge, destructive winds and dangerous flash flooding,” The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang grimly noted Wednesday.
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