Some Hurricane Irma Evacuees Land At LAX
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — With Hurricane Irma barreling down on South Florida, some of those evacuees have found their way to Southern California.
Mandatory evacuations are underway for parts of the Miami metro area and the Florida Keys, with Hurricane Irma expected to hit Florida by Friday.
The Category 5 hurricane has cut a path of devastation across the northern Caribbean, with at least 10 dead and thousands homeless after it destroyed buildings, took out power and flooded entire neighborhoods.
Irma has already prompted the cancellation of 1,800 flights across the country. American Airlines says they will begin to slow operations in South Florida on Friday, and cut off flights altogether this weekend.
Several airlines capped ticket prices on flights leaving Florida, with reports of one-way tickets to Los Angeles International Airport as high as $1,000 at one point.
Lauren Schwartz made it to LAX with her husband, three young children and their dog, without a moment to spare.
"We moved quickly," she said. "If you don't move quickly, you're stuck. There are a lot of people who are still there."