Igor will be ‘long event’ for Bermuda

LESTER HOLT, anchor: Tourists tonight are scrambling to leave the island of Bermuda as powerful Atlantic Hurricane Igor closes in. As residents brace for this storm, the remnants of Hurricane Karl continue to spawn flooding across parts of Mexico . At least six people have died there, while scores of others have been rescued from the rising water. So with that one-two punch, The Weather Channel 's Jim Cantore joins us now from Bermuda as residents prepare for the arrival of

Igor. Jim: Yeah, Lester , the premier has pretty much set the tone in calling this what is going to be one of the worst hurricanes to ever affect the island. It's going to be a long-duration event. Look at the satellite picture here. If we were to take this cloud shield and stick it on a map of the United States , Lester , it would last -- pretty much stretch from Green Bay , Wisconsin , all the way down to Miami . That's huge. So that means Bermuda is going to endure tropical storm - and hurricane-force winds anywhere from 24 to 36 hours, which is a tremendous long time, probably about three to four times what would normally be the case here for a storm. So we're looking at winds, even though they've dropped down to 100 miles an hour today, enough -- strong enough to do tree damage and also power line damage, which is really what they're expecting here to be the main issue, a lot of tree and power line damage. Sixty-four thousand people, though, are definitely ready to brace this thing. They were out today admiring Mother Nature 's handiwork with the waves, forecast to be as high as 40 feet crashing against the barrier reef. Some of those waves will crash as high as 20 feet here once they make it to shore. So from really later on tonight, Lester , all the way through Monday it is going to be a long event for Bermuda . We're obviously hoping for the best here on this tiny island. Everything is shutting down as we speak. Back to you.

JIM CANTORE reporting: And we wish you and everyone there the best. Jim Cantore , thanks very much in Bermuda getting ready for Igor .

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