Two-thirds of Hurricane Irma-hit Florida left without electricity
Thousands of Floridians who had to evacuate inland ahead of the category five Hurricane Irma, have returned to shattered homes. The hurricane, which was among the most powerful hurricanes on record, has left 6.5 million homes in Florida, two-thirds of the total, without power. Irma has killed at least 10 people in the US and inundated several areas in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Florida bore the brunt of Hurricane Irma in America. It could take weeks before electricity is fully restored. On Monday, it weakened to a tropical storm before becoming a tropical depression on Tuesday. Heavy rain is expected to hit the US' south-eastern states but all storm surge and tropical storm warnings have been discontinued. Irma earlier left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean.
The low-lying resort island chain of Florida Keys suffered dangerous flooding. An official has warned of a potential "humanitarian disaster." Florida governor Rick Scott said: "It's devastation. I just hope everybody survived. It's horrible, what we saw" in the Florida Keys. There are serious concerns over the safety of an estimated 10,000 people who defied a mandatory evacuation order to ride out the storm.
The city of Jacksonville, Florida, also witnessed historic flooding on Monday. Severe flooding also occurred in Miami, Orlando and the town of Everglades City. In Miami and other areas, night-time curfews were imposed even as two-dozen people were arrested over suspected looting. Storm surges swamped Charleston, South Carolina, causing roads to be impassable.
Barbuda, Antigua, Turks and Caicos Islands: Widespread damage to property and infrastructure. St. Martin and St Barthelemy: Nine reported dead and seven missing in the French territories; two dead in the Dutch territory, Sint Maarten. Barbuda and Anguilla: One person reported dead in each island. Puerto Rico: Electricity infrastructure hit, one person dead. Cuba: "Significant damage" reported; 10 people killed.
