As Hurricane Irma bears down on the entire state of Florida, Miami could be facing catastrophic flooding, with one simulation estimating the entire city to be underwater in a worst-case scenario.
A video simulation by Climate Central shows downtown Miami completely inundated with flood water. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) estimates that coastal areas in Florida may see up to 12 feet of storm surge as waters rise in connection with Hurricane Irma.
Floods will hit the southwestern coast of Florida from Captiva to Cape Sable the hardest, the NHC said in a 2 p.m. advisory released on Friday, with the water rising 6-12 feet above ground level.
The area from Jupiter Inlet to Cape Sable, including the Florida Keys will see water levels rise 5 to 10 feet. Meanwhile, the stretch of coast from Ponce Inlet to Jupiter Inlet and from Venice to Captiva will see storm surges of 3 to 6 feet, NHC said.
