Massive Hurricane Ike turns into a monster as it roars over Turks and Caicos.. the Grand Turk Island devastated by the storm this morning.. According to AP reporting this morning,

"Turks and Caicos premier Michael Misick said Ike damaged 80 percent of the homes on the main island and that hundreds lost their roofs as the hurricane made a near-direct hit. People have been cowering in closets and under stairwells and "just holding on for life. They got hit really, really bad," he told The Associated Press Sunday morning. With 135 mph (215 kph) winds, Ike was swirling on from the tiny British territory to the Bahamas' Great Inagua Island, where about 85 people inside a community center shelter huddled around a radio."

Grand Turk is the capital of Turks and Caicos--and is home to 3,000 people. 3,000 people that held on for their lives through the massive Category 4 storm.. According to reporting on CNN this morning,

""People are losing roofs by the second," said Audley Astwood, a reporter at a radio station in Grand Turk said. "Close to 50 percent of the homes on Grand Turk have been destroyed or lost roofs.""

* * * * And now it's Haiti: The cleanup effort from Gustav being seriously hampered by Ike .. relief efforts have become dangerously unable to continue--thousands still have not eaten since Hanna rolled over the country days ago.. Many places still destroyed from Gustav, and neighborhoods flooded is common.. * * * * And then where? The United States has been closely watching Ike as it rolls over the Caribbean. Governors Crist, Barbour, Jindal, Perry, Riley, Perdue, and Sanford all closely watching Ike is it stretches its destruction over Cuba and then the Gulf of Mexico--hoping the massive hellstorm doesn't hit their respective state. Hurricane Ike is going to weaken as it continue to strike land--but forecasters have noted that it will be over warmer waters again by Wednesday next week.. The cone of uncertainty from the National Hurricane Center showing a westward track..however Ike appears to be dangerous close to oil rigs, New Orleans, and the United States by 2am Friday.. The prospects of a United States strike from Ike is an almost sure bet .. so is the possibility that Ike will strengthen to a Cat 3 or beyond by week's ends.. Warnings.. watches. Watching..

Labels: hurricanes, Ike, Storms, Weather