Florida evacuation orders have been widened to include Miami Beach and other low-lying parts of Miami-Dade as Hurricane Irma approaches.
Evacuation in the Florida Keys was already underway as Florida’s governor Rick Scott warned that Irma would be ‘bigger, faster and stronger’ than Hurricane Andrew, which devastated the Sunshine State 25 years ago.
Hotels have closed and are canceling forward reservations until the middle of next week.
The latest evacuation orders cover other tourist hotspots such as Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, and Key Biscayne and affects more than 100,000 residents.
Mobile home dwellers across Miami-Dade have been ordered to leave too.
Highway tolls have been waived across the State to help people travel more quickly.
"This is serious and we cannot take chances," warned Scott in a press conference. "Every Floridian should take this seriously."
Mandatory evacuation orders have also been issued in Monroe Counties and voluntary evacuation orders have been issued in Broward and Collier Counties.
Additional orders are expected as the storm nears the state.
Visit Florida has posted advice for tourists on its website and, through its partnership with Expedia, has activated a special page to help visitors, residents and first responders find accommodation.
