YOU’RE BACK IN CLASS AND I’M BACK IN THE STUDIO.
HELLO EVERYONE I’M RICK JACKSON. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THE 48TH SEASON OF NEWSDEPTH.
IT’S BEEN A LONG SUMMER AWAY, BUT BEFORE WE RECAP WHAT HAPPENED IN THOSE WARM MONTHS - THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE BEEN LONG ONES FOR FOLKS IN THE SOUTHEAST AS TWO HURRICANES WHIPPED THEIR WAY INTO TEXAS AND FLORIDA.
A HURRICANE IS A VIOLENT SPINNING STORM WITH WINDS GREATER THAN 74 MILES PER HOUR THAT FORMS OVER TROPICAL WATERS.
CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE IRMA MADE LANDFALL ON FLORIDA’S GULF COAST ON SUNDAY NIGHT. MONDAY THOUGH THE STORM WAS DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM. REPORTER ROSA FLORES TELLS US WHAT HAPPENED AROUND THE STATE.
JOHN LORINC: DOWNED TREES, POWER OUTAGES AND FLASH FLOODS.
JUST SOME OF THE DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY THE WRATH OF IRMA.
GOV. RICK SCOTT: IN JACKSONVILLE AND NORTHEAST FLORIDA STORM SURGE IS 3-5 FEET ON TOP OF MORE THAN A FOOT OF RAINFALL WHICH IS CAUSING RECORD AND HISTORICAL FLOODING ALONG THE ST. JOHNS RIVER."
JOHN LORINC: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR DOWNTOWN JACKSONVILLE AS SOME ROADWAYS WERE TRANSFORMED INTO RIVERS.
SEVERE DAMAGE ALSO REPORTED IN THE FLORIDA KEYS, WITH ROOFS RIPPED OFF AND DEBRIS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE STREETS.
OFFICIALS URGE FLORIDA EVACUEES TO BE PATIENT AND WAIT TO RETURN HOME UNTIL THERE IS FORMAL APPROVAL.
GOV. RICK SCOTT: WE HAVE ABOUT 65 PERCENT OF THE STATE WITHOUT POWER. IT'S GOING TO TAKE US A LONG TIME TO GET POWER BACK.
JOHN LORINC: NEIGHBORING STATE GEORGIA IS ALSO REELING FROM IRMA.
WHERE AT LEAST THREE IRMA-RELATED DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED...
THAT INCLUDES ONE IN METRO ATLANTA, WHERE A MAN WAS KILLED MONDAY WHEN A TREE FELL ON HIS HOUSE.
PARTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA WERE ALSO POUNDED BY IRMA.
AUTHORITIES THERE SAY A 57-YEAR-OLD MAN WAS KILLED MONDAY WHILE HE WAS CLEARING BRANCHES.
AS CLEAN-UP AND RECOVERY EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY....
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS IRMA'S VICTIMS ARE GETTING THE FULL RESOURCES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
DONALD TRUMP: WHEN AMERICANS ARE IN NEED, AMERICANS PULL TOGETHER AND WE ARE ONE COUNTRY. AND WHEN WE FACE HARDSHIP, WE EMERGE CLOSER, STRONGER AND MORE DETERMINED THAN EVER.
JOHN LORINC: IRMA CAME LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AFTER HURRICANE HARVEY STRUCK COASTAL TEXAS, DEVASTATING SOME AREAS AND KILLING DOZENS.
I'M JOHN LORINC REPORTING.
Instructional Links
Website Article: Weather Whiz Kids, Hurricanes | Extensive information, videos, charts, definitions, lesson plans
Animation: PBS LearningMedia. How Hurricanes Form
Website: National Hurricane Center | Get the latest on Irma and other hurricanes.