US governmento send warning as Hurricane Irma nears Florida coast bringing tornadoes, tidal surges and 130mph winds

Hurricane Irma has reached landfall in Florida as 130mph winds are set to batter their way north through the state in one of the worst storms to hit the area in living memory.

Just hours before the northern eyewall of the hurricane hit the Lower Florida Keys, it was upgraded to a category 4 storm and by 7am it was just 15 miles from Key West.

At 5.40am, the National Weather Service in Key West issued a stark warning to the city's residents, saying: 'Extreme, hurricane-force winds are imminent in the Lower Florida Keys. If you are here, please go to interior room away from windows.

Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to the safe room in your shelter. Take action now to protect your life. You should already be taking cover.'

Forecasts predict winds of up to 130mph and will rip through southern Florida as it travels between 6mph and 8mph up the western coast of the state.

Donald Trump sent a message to those caught up in the brutal hurricane, saying: 'This is a storm of enormous destructive power, and I ask everyone in the storm’s path to heed all instructions from government officials.

'The US Coast Guard, FEMA and all Federal and State brave people are ready. Here comes Irma. God bless everyone.'

Irma's outer bands pummeled Miami and parts of southeast Florida on Saturday afternoon. Two tornadoes hit Broward County after the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch.

There is also a deadly threat of 15ft storm surges with residents being urged not to return home given the enormous outer bands as emergency officials told those who had ignored evacuation orders that it was too late.

'Fifteen feet is devastating and will cover your house,' governor Rick Scott said on Saturday. 'Do not think the storm is over when the wind slows down. The storm surge will rush in and it could kill you.'

 The National Weather Service had earlier warned that tornadoes were commonly spawned by a hurricane and could could damage far away from the center of the hurricane, while storm surges could cause more fatalities than any other hurricane hazard.

The latest update from the National Weather service indicated there were wind gusts 'near hurricane strength' - about 79mph - recorded in the Florida Keys.

Around 6.3million people have been told to evacuate in anticipation of Irma and there are 70,000 people in evacuation shelters across Florida. The state said Saturday that more than 400 shelters are open, mostly in schools, churches and community centers.

Time is running out for anyone who is now planning to leave, with the outer bands of Irma arriving in parts of southern Florida with heavy rain and strong wind gusts which make it impossible to drive.

An overnight curfew has been imposed in Miami to stop opportunistic looters taking advantage of the countless coastal homes which now stand abandoned. The city was on course for a direct hit but it was thrown a sudden lifeline on Saturday when the storm changed course as it pounded Cuba.

On Saturday, Florida's Governor Rick Scott warned bleakly: 'You will not survive the storm. If you are in an evacuation zone, leave.'

Brock Long, the chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, warned residents in the Florida Keys who have not heeded warnings: 'You're on your own until we can actually get in there, and it's safe for our teams to support local and state efforts.'

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