Parts of Florida remain at risk due to potentially life-threatening storm surges and flooding. Miami was hit head-on by Hurricane Irma, which has now been downgraded to a tropical storm on Monday. Gushing floodwaters left millions without water or power.
Five deaths have been reported in Florida in connection with Irma thus far, and at least 2 million people are without power. Two of the deaths include a Florida sheriff’s deputy and corrections officer whom were both killed after crashing head-on Sunday morning during Hurricane Irma in Hardee County, the Miami Herald reported.
ABC reported “one person was found dead in a home in Shark Key on Sunday.” In addition the station reported two deaths in Monroe County, where the Florida Keys are located.
See video footage and photos of the devastation left behind in Miami below:
“Drone footage shows a nearly deserted Miami Beach one day after,” CNN tweeted:
Drone footage shows a nearly deserted Miami Beach one day after #Irma t.co/A54lLoBlom
“BREAKING: Miami-Dade, Broward public schools closed indefinitely after Irma,” The Miami Herald announced:
BREAKING: Miami-Dade, Broward public schools closed indefinitely after Irma t.co/SVVlQO5PVp
Buildings appear to be floating in water:
“We got really lucky, @elisafayemakes tweeted. “But, fallen trees everywhere in Miami. Damn you #Irma.”
We got really lucky. But, fallen trees everywhere in Miami. Damn you #Irma
A suspected Hurricane Irma looter is seen targeting a Miami Foot Locker:
“Criminal Savages in Miami Looting a Foot Locker store during Hurricane Irma,” @IWillRedPillYou said. “The Mainstream Media REFUSES to show you this!”
“Miami police share picture of Hurricane Irma looters in jail,” @abc13houston tweeted:
Miami police share picture of Hurricane Irma looters in jail t.co/0XHlzsJQBZ
#LIVE: Miami officials detail Hurricane Irma response efforts
t.co/fSAbkjm1te
Se desploma una enorme grúa en Miami por fuertes vientos del huracán Irma
t.co/cfvDG2bQl5
Irma had no sympathy as she tore through Miami. A roof of a home could be seen flying off in the tweet below:
Roof of home flies off in #Miami #Florida due to horrific winds of #HurricaneIrma !
#Irma
A man was shown saving a dog:
In #dog news! Human hero! “@NickKuk: This guys saving dogs!!! #hurricane #storm #miami #irma t.co/RxKS7ZTNXI”
The Miami Zoo took no chances with their beloved animals:
WATCH: Miami zoo secures animals ahead of ferocious Hurricane #Irma t.co/7XZywzj1mz Follow our live updates: t.co/340nSyeFeE
The storm made its first landfall in the U.S. in Cudjoe Key around 9:10 a.m.
That news was announced by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), which wrote, “Hurricane #Irma makes landfall at Cudjoe Key in the lower Florida Keys.”
The NHC also wrote:
“The center of Hurricane Irma made landfall at Cudjoe Key in the lower Florida Keys at 9:10 am EDT. A gust to 106 mph (171 km/h) was just reported at the National Key Deer Refuge in Big Pine Key.
Storm surges are expected to be anywhere from one to fifteen feet, especially along the west coast area, all the way from Marco Island to the Florida Keys. The storm surge could be the biggest obstacle from the tropical storm, and is the biggest reason for hurricane-related deaths by drowning.
“Storm surge flooding of 10-15 ft is now expected along the SW Florida coast,” the NHC wrote in a tweet. “This is a dire and life-threatening situation.”
Storm surge flooding of 10-15 ft is now expected along the SW Florida coast. This is a dire and life-threatening situation.