Effects Other wikis Hurricane Matthew was a powerful tropical cyclone which caused catastrophic damage and a humanitarian crisis in Haiti, as well as widespread devastation in the southeastern United States.

It became a hurricane north of Venezuela and Colombia on September 29, before undergoing explosive intensification, ultimately reaching Category 5 intensity on October 1 with peak 1-minute sustained winds of 165 mph.

[1] Matthew weakened slightly and fluctuated in intensity while making a northward turn toward the Greater Antilles, remaining a strong Category 4 hurricane as it made its first landfall over Haiti's Tiburon Peninsula early on October 4, and then a second one in Cuba later that day.

The storm then paralleled the coast of the southeastern United States over the next 36 hours, gradually weakening while remaining just offshore before making its fourth and final landfall over the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge near McClellanville, South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane on the morning of October 8.

Matthew re-emerged into the Atlantic shortly afterward, eventually completing its transition into an extratropical cyclone as it turned away from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on October 9.

The combination of flooding and high winds disrupted telecommunications and destroyed extensive swaths of land; around 80% of Jérémie sustained significant damage.

Four people were killed in Cuba due to a bridge collapse, and total losses in the country amounted to US$2.58 billion, most of which occurred in the Guantánamo Province.

While damage was primarily confined to the coast in Florida and Georgia, torrential rains spread inland in the Carolinas and Virginia, causing widespread flooding.

Despite possessing tropical-storm winds as it approached the Lesser Antilles on September 27, the wave could not initially be classified as a tropical cyclone, as reconnaissance aircraft could not find a closed center.

The effects of southwesterly wind shear unexpectedly abated late that day, and Matthew began a period of explosive intensification; during a 24-hour period beginning at 00:00 UTC on September 30, the cyclone's maximum winds more than doubled, from 80 to 165 mph (129 to 266 km/h), making Matthew a Category 5 hurricane,[1] the first since Felix in 2007;[3] the rate of intensification has only been exceeded a few times in the Atlantic since records began.

[nb 1][4][1] Convection became displaced from the center as Matthew pulled away from land due to increasing wind shear, with the NHC declaring the system an extratropical cyclone about 200 mi (320 km) east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on October 9.

[1] Matthew also maintained at least Category 4 status for the longest duration on record for the month of October, according to Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University, doing so for roughly 5 days.

[5] On September 27, prior to Matthew becoming a tropical cyclone, LIAT began cancelling flights across the Windward Islands in anticipation of squally weather.

[18] With Matthew posing a significant threat to Jamaica, emergency officials ordered all fishermen on the nation's cays and banks to evacuate to the mainland on September 29.

[20] Following an eastward shift in Matthew's predicted track, a hurricane watch was issued for much of Haiti on October 1, encompassing areas from Môle-Saint-Nicolas south to the Dominican Republic border;[30] this was upgraded to a warning just hours later.

[34] Although government officials held meetings on storm preparation, Radio France Internationale reported that Haiti does not have the logistical capability to handle a large-scale disaster.

[36] Provisional President of Haiti Jocelerme Privert addressed the nation on October 2, urging those living along the coast and in poorly constructed homes to evacuate and comply with authorities.

More than 18,000 volunteers and members of the Red Cross, community intervention teams, municipal committees, and local emergency services were readied to assist residents.

[40] Although civil protection officials took to the streets to warn people, many residents were unaware that Matthew was even approaching the country a day before its expected landfall.

[45][46] Across Santiago de Cuba, which suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, 218 shelters were opened and officials placed extra attention on Socapa, Caracoles, and Cayo Granma.

[54] On Cape Canaveral, home to both civilian and military spaceflight facilities, no rockets or spacecraft were in vulnerable positions; at the time of Matthew's approach, the next launch was scheduled for November 4.

[59][60] On October 6, U.S. President Barack Obama declared a federal state of emergency for Florida,[61] later extending to include Georgia and South Carolina.

[62] Florida's governor Rick Scott urged over 1.5 million people to evacuate,[63] with Hurricane Matthew expected to make landfall by the evening of that day.

[71] The claims of conspiracy were posted as Matthew posed a dire threat to Florida's east coast and when residents across the state were being urged to evacuate immediately.

"[70] Jason Samenow of The Washington Post described it as an "incredible and offensive accusation", and stated that it "may have introduced enough doubt to lead [residents] into a decision they will regret.

[82] In Martinique strong winds, which gusted up to 89 mph (143 km/h) in Saint-Pierre,[81] wreaked havoc on the power grid; roughly 55,000 people lost electricity.

A communication tower in Majayara collapsed during the storm and a bridge spanning the Toa river was destroyed; several communities left isolated as a result.

[105] Nearly two months later, on November 22, a municipal bridge in the city of Moa that was damaged by Hurricane Matthew collapsed, killing four employees of Canadian mining company Sherritt International.

Heavy wind gusts of up to 68 mph and more than 11 inches of rain led to hundreds of downed trees and severe street flooding in southern Virginia Beach.

[159] The commander of U.S. forces in the Caribbean reported that troops and 6 helicopters from Joint Task Force-Bravo had been deployed to Haiti for the aftermath, and were expected to arrive on October 6.