Hurricane Irma Is So Strong It’s Registering On Earthquake Devices

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Hurricane Irma has become so strong it’s registering seismic activity on devices designed to pick up earthquakes.

The devices started picking up the activity on Tuesday, when Irma rose to a Category 5 storm.

Irma is expected to hit the Caribbean islands within the coming days and the fallout is expected to be ‘catastrophic’.

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Irma has been called the most powerful Atlantic storm in a decade, with winds of 185mph – faster than Hurricane Harvey.

The cause of Irma is thought to be unusually warm waters over the Atlantic.

Donald Trump has declared states of emergency in Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

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Many people in Florida and the Virgin Islands are evacuating houses and stocking up on water and basic foodstuffs in expectation of the disaster.

Authorities have warned that the storm could cause a deluge of 10 inches of rain, causing landslides and flash floods.

There are also expected to be waves of up to 23 feet.

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Florida Governor Rick Scott declared an emergency in all 67 counties of the state.

He said:

Hurricane Irma is a major and life-threatening storm and Florida must be prepared. I have continued to be briefed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management on Hurricane Irma and current forecast models have Florida in Irma’s path – potentially impacting millions of Floridians.

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He continued:

Today, given these forecasts and the intensity of this storm, I have declared a state of emergency for every county in Florida to make certain that state, federal and local governments are able to work together and make sure resources are dispersed to local communities as we get prepared for this storm.

Authorities have been ’emphatically’ telling people to evacuate Florida, saying they ‘cannot afford’ to stay while the Hurricane is in full effect.

In Puerto Rico, a 75-year-old man died during preparations, reports the BBC.

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It is not currently clear whether Irma will make its way to the US mainland.

If Irma hits mainland, it will be the first time the US has been struck with two Category 4 hurricanes in one season since records began.

A third storm, Jose, is behind Irma, further out in the Atlantic, is expected to grow and become a hurricane in the coming days.

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