Florida after the hurricane. Irma's aftermath and flooding in Florida. Chronicle. What the locals say

Florida residents, shaken by Hurricane Irma, return to their destroyed homes.

The remnants of Hurricane Irma, which descended to a tropical storm, sank deep into the United States, leaving more than half of all residents of the state without a part of their property and submerging the city streets of Orlando, Miami and other coastal cities under water. This affected the coastal zone of the states of Georgia and South Carolina.

Downgraded to Tropical Storm Irma, Monday was one of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes before it hit the Florida Keys on Sunday and swept north along the Gulf Coast, moving inland, wreaking havoc in the third most populous US state, Reuters writes.

However, the extent of the devastation in Florida and neighboring states paled in comparison to Category 5 Hurricane Irma's total devastation in parts of the Caribbean, where the storm killed nearly 40 people - at least 10 of them in Cuba - before unleashing its fury in Florida.

Particularly hard hit is the US resort archipelago Florida Key, which is located in the Gulf of Mexico and is connected to the mainland by one narrow highway, Gov. Rick Scott said at a news conference on Monday. “There is destruction there,” he said, adding that virtually every mobile home on the island chain was left upside down. "It's terrible what we've seen."

While some Florida Key evacuees expressed anger at authorities refusing to let them return to their homes on Monday, the U.S. Department of Defense said the 10,000 residents who remained on the island could now be stranded and need help. evacuation.

Florida Key residents were largely evacuated before the storm hit, but police have now set up a roadblock to prevent displaced residents from returning as authorities work to restore power, water, fuel supplies and medical care.

Monroe County fire officials said they would later return access to the road Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. local time to residents and business owners from Largo, the main island at the upper end of the archipelago, and the cities of Tavernier and Islamorada further south.

The situation in Miami after Hurricane Irma. In Miami, which narrowly escaped Irma's most destructive winds but experienced severe flooding, residents of the Little Haiti area returned to the wreckage of houses and trailers that had been smashed to pieces by the storm.

“I wanted to cry, but this is what it is, this is life,” said Melida Hernandez, 67, who emerged from a nearby church after the storm, looking at the ruins of her home, split in two by a fallen tree.

Severe flooding was reported Monday across northeast Florida, including Jacksonville, where police were bailing out residents as the St. Johns River rose to levels not seen since 1846.

"Stay inside. Go up. Don't go out," the Jacksonville website warns residents. "There is flooding all over the city." The city also warned residents to be wary of snakes and alligators that have entered homes due to flooding.

Until dawn on Monday, Florida National Guard troops and local firefighters rescued about 150 people from dozens of flooded homes in western Orlando and ferried them in large trucks and lifeboats to shelters on higher grounds.

Irma later moved to Georgia, reducing wind speeds to 100 km/h, the storm's tidal waves causing flooding in coastal cities in Brunswick and Savannah, Georgia, in Charleston, South Carolina.

US victims of Hurricane Irma

The storm found its first victim on the Florida Keys weekend - a man was found dead in a pickup truck that crashed into a tree due to high winds.

On Sunday in Orange County, Florida, it was reported that there was at least one more possibly storm-related fatal vehicular accident. Two people were killed by falling trees in two Atlanta suburbs on Monday, local officials said.

Some 6.5 million people, about one-third of Florida's population, were displaced from their homes prior to Ira's arrival, and more than 200,000 people sought refuge in 700 shelters, according to the state.

State officials are urging evacuees across the state to stay put and not rush home, saying many power lines have been downed, a lot of debris is scattered, and there are other dangers including snakes and alligators in people's homes. "Don't put your life at great risk," Gov. Rick Scott said.

One of the biggest problems has been widespread power outages, with about 7.4 million homes and businesses without power in Florida and neighboring states. Authorities said it could take weeks to fully restore services to businesses and households. Gov. Scott said 65% of Florida's residents were without power.

Movement in and out of Florida also remained unchanged. Miami International Airport, one of the busiest in the country, stopped passenger flights at least on Monday.

Miami-Dade and Fort Lauderdale County Police reported 48 arrests for looting.

Insured property losses in Florida due to Hurricane Irma are expected to be between $20 billion and $40 billion. This figure, lower than earlier forecasts of up to $50 billion in insurance claims, helped calm Wall Street as there were fears that Irma would cut US economic growth.

Florida under the blow of "Irma": how did the hurricane survive in the USA?

Rescue and recovery efforts have begun in Florida after Hurricane Irma hit the state on Monday night. The hurricane weakened as it approached Miami, but Irma still caused significant damage to many cities in the state.

Local media report four dead. The situation on the Florida Keys, about 25 km from Miami, is described by rescuers as a humanitarian crisis.

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On the night of September 10, the wind speed in Hurricane Irma reached 160 km/h. Irma is now classified as a tropical storm and is no longer considered a hurricane.

Earlier, Irma hit Cuba, bringing torrential rains and heavy winds. According to media reports, the wind speed in Cuba reached 250 kilometers per hour, the wave height was seven meters.

Also, "Irma" almost completely destroyed the island of Barbuda, but bypassed the Bahamas.

Crisis in the Florida Keys

Jane Oh" Brian, BBC correspondent from Miami

Overall, Miami could not have had much better luck. The center of the hurricane did not pass through the city itself, but it hit the Florida Keys (a chain of coral islands about 25 km from the US coast). It is to the islands that the attention of rescuers is riveted.

Communication with the islands was poor as early as Friday. A number of people evacuated and stayed in the same hotel as us, and it was difficult for them to keep in touch with relatives who remained.

About 10,000 people were reportedly left on the islands to wait out the storm. We don't know what's wrong with them now.

The first thing the rescuers have to do is to check how many of the 42 bridges connecting the islands to each other have remained intact. If at least one is not functional, then problems may arise - one of the islands may be isolated.

The entire area of ​​the islands is closed - it is impossible to get there until the authorities finish assessing the damage.

The scale of the rescue operation

More than 3.4 million homes across the state of Florida remain without electricity. In Miami alone, 80% of all high-voltage wires were cut off, large areas of the city were flooded, although compared to many other parts of the state, the city did not suffer catastrophic damage.

On the drone video from the city of Naples, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, about 200 km northwest of Miami, rows of destroyed one-story houses and flooded streets between them are visible.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption The south coast of Florida with its resorts suffered the most

President Donald Trump has earmarked a large budget for Florida aid, calling Hurricane Irma a "huge monster."

The money will go to medical care, clearing rubble, restoring electricity and repairing buildings.

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Saint Martin: before and after Hurricane Irma

Monroe County (population 73,000) rescue manager Martin Centerfitt says a large air force and national guard rescue mission will soon arrive in the state, according to the Miami Herald.

In the Florida Keys, which belong to Monroe County, "emergency burial teams" are to arrive as part of the mission.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Multiple fatal car crashes linked to hurricane

The state government's director of rescue programs, Brian Kuhn, told reporters that it would be impossible to determine the exact number of victims before the rescue operation began.

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott continued to tweet warnings Monday morning. "Even a running stream of water six inches deep can knock you off your feet," the governor wrote. "Stay home - stay safe," Scott tweeted.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption "Irma" according to the latest reports

What the locals say

"We constantly feel the building rocking, as if on a ship," Dimi Lomas, the owner of the restaurant and apartment in the 35-story building, told Reuters.

At least four local deaths have been linked to the hurricane.

A police officer who worked at a hurricane shelter died while driving home and collided with another car. There was also a policeman driving that car, and he also died.

A driver has died in a car accident in Orange County.

Another fatal accident occurred in the city of Marathon County Monroe.

Before the hurricane hit the state, local authorities ordered the evacuation of 6.3 million coastal residents - more than a quarter of Florida's total population.

Actually stopped work international airports Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

Irma in the Caribbean

Hurricane Irma hit Florida from the Caribbean, hitting Cuba and Puerto Rico.

In the Caribbean islands, more than a million people were affected by the hurricane, according to the Red Cross. According to the organization, the strongest hurricane destroyed almost all the buildings in Barbuda and left without electricity the inhabitants of Puerto Rico, and also brought significant destruction to the British Virgin Islands, the islands of St. Maarten, St. Barthélemy and St. Kitts and Nevis.

According to the latest data, the hurricane claimed the lives of 10 people.

The Red Cross has allocated about 600,000 Swiss francs to prepare for the rapid provision of assistance to the population that may be affected by the hurricane.

In Puerto Rico, which is an American territory, there are still 6,000 people in shelters, many more without electricity.

In Cuba, 10 people became victims of the elements, in the capital of the island, Havana, there is no electricity.

At Florida Power & Light(it is the largest electricity supplier in the state) said that until Sunday the company will restore electricity to almost all customers east coast. As for customers in the west of the state, they should expect electricity in five days.

Company spokesman Rob Gould said the damage to electrical infrastructure was not as extensive as expected.

“What we are seeing is reassuring, especially on the West Coast where our main transmission structures have not been affected,” Gould said. He added that there are still exceptions where the damage caused was particularly serious.

About half of the state's 21 million residents were left without power. Gov. Rick Scott said more than 30,000 freelancers are working to restore power across the state.

The Florida Keys were the hardest hit part of Florida. The water supply was out of service during the hurricane, all three hospitals on the islands were closed, and gasoline supplies were extremely limited.

Entry into the Florida Keys required a yellow sticker on a vehicle stating the right to stay on the islands, or proof of residence or ownership in their territory.

County officials have warned residents that services there are currently operating on a limited basis.

Meanwhile, parts of Florida have returned to normal. Workers cleared roads and resumed supplies of gasoline, while residents who fled the hurricane on cruise ships, returned back. Although the devastating hurricane Irma is still reminiscent of the flooded streets.

The USDA said that hurricane victims who receive food stamps can use them for hot meals, which is usually against program rules.

The cruise industry is back to normal. Royal Caribbean and Carnival planned to resume cruises from Port Everglades to Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday.

In Georgia, Irma left 15 cm of rain, and in Atlanta, wind gusts reached 96 km / h. Damage and flooding were reported in some coastal areas, causing more than 500,000 people to evacuate ahead of the storm. Tibi Island Mayor Jason Buelterman said hundreds of homes were flooded there.

Parts of South Carolina also experienced strong winds and rain, and historic Charleston was among the cities affected by the flooding.

Alabama and North Carolina declared states of emergency ahead of the storm, and the remnants of Irma swept through several other states, the National Weather Service said.

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Florida was the victim of Hurricane Irma, which swept across the United States on September 10, 2017. Photos of the consequences of the elements are simply horrifying. They show the damage left behind by the hurricane.

Hurricane Irma swept the coast of Florida on Sunday, September 10. According to its strength, it was assigned to the 4th category. After sweeping through the northwestern part of the state, the storm weakened, reaching the level of a tropical storm by Monday. The storm was expected to soften to a tropical depression by Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

After itself, "Irma" left serious damage:

• some houses have been completely destroyed and many people have lost their homes;
• the streets are full of fallen trees and electrical pylons;
• large areas flooded;
• boats washed ashore by the waves;
• overturned cars.

Evacuation of state residents

Before the start of the hurricane, about 6.3 million people were evacuated from the alleged disaster sites. Such data was provided by the Florida Department of Emergency Management. People left their homes, taking only the most valuable and necessary things.

The government organized the mandatory evacuation of citizens from the most dangerous regions. 4 days before the arrival of the hurricane, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a decree to that effect.

Aftermath of the hurricane

The wind speed reached 70 miles per hour (more than 110 km/h). The hurricane overturned yachts and other light boats. The photo below shows a yacht that washed up on the coast in Biscayne Bay (Florida).

In the northern part of Miami, the streets along the coast are flooded with water. People leave their homes, having collected the necessary things in garbage bags.

In addition to strong winds, Hurricane Irma brought heavy rain with it. The elements left behind destroyed houses, overturned power lines, flooded cars and fallen trees.

The photo shows Maida Estevez. This woman, like many Florida residents, was the victim of a natural disaster. She stands in a ruined house, in the middle of a room that was once a living room.

Maida Estevez's neighbor, Jorge Gonzalez, shows how much damage the hurricane caused to his property. Not only the house was damaged, but also the man's car.

After the end of the hurricane, many settlements were de-energized. More than 2 million citizens were left without electricity.

Flood

Heavy rains led to the flooding of many areas. People were forced to leave the suburbs due to increased water levels.

In Orlando, Florida, Army National Guard Spc soldier Thomas Hogan rescued a dog from a flooded area.

The photo, taken in the Daytona Beach area, shows a man moving across a flooded street.

In the North Port, the police tried to pull a car out of the water, which was badly damaged by the storm.

The hurricane peaked on Sunday (September 10). Residents of Miami and other Florida cities had to wade through flooded streets, resisting strong gusts of wind.

Elemental power

During a storm, the wind reached such force that it pulled out large trees with roots and filled up concrete power poles. The next photo shows a powerful structure that fell from the onslaught of nature. A concrete pole was knocked down near an oceanfront condominium building in Boca Raton.

Most types of property were crushed under the powerful onslaught of the Irma.

An electric pole that fell on the A1A state highway in Boca Raton is being guarded by a police patrol.

Some settlements felt the effect of a natural cataclysm as much as possible. A photograph taken in Tampa shows a young man walking down Bayshore Boulevard past a fallen tree. At this time, powerful thunderclouds continue to circle over his head.

Some residential buildings in Tampa were completely destroyed by the elements.

In some areas of Miami and elsewhere, there are cars that have been overturned by gusty winds.

The next photo shows how a large truck turned over on its side, under the powerful influence of wind and flood. This photo was also taken in Miami.

The hurricane was so strong that it uprooted trees. Palm trees that had been planted not so long ago were scattered by the wind along the roads of Miami Beach.

This tree, which fell in Kissimmee, crashed to the ground a few meters from the apartment building, miraculously not catching the building.

The following image shows a gas station in North Redington Beach where a huge structure was knocked down by a storm.

In Orlando, the siding was torn off the DoubleTree Hotel. One of the correspondents of the Swiss Public Broadcasting - Thomas von Grünigen - posted a photo of this building on Twitter. It was made on Monday morning, after the elements had subsided. The 4 upper floors were especially affected.

The gale was so strong and powerful that the sand from the beach of Fort Lauderdale moved to a nearby boulevard.

Flooding in Jacksonville breaks record set in 1964

By Monday morning, the water level reached 60.4 inches (more than 153 cm). This is significantly higher than it was during the 1964 flood.

The St. Johns River overflowed its banks. Its waters flooded the nearby territory of the medical center "St. Vinset" (Jacksonville).

Approximately 5.8 million homes and businesses in the states of Florida and Georgia seem to be lifeless. Residents of areas where a powerful strike of the elements was predicted, previously traveled to safe places.

HuffPost reporter Sebastian Murdoch posted on his Twitter page a photo of the empty hotel in Miramar where he was staying.

"Irma" exterminated a whole species of mammals

Hurricane Irma brought trouble not only in Florida. Having fallen on Cuba, it caused the death of a whole species of rats Capromys auritus, also called Cuban hutis.

These rodents have long been threatened with extinction. Big-eared Cuban hutias weigh 1-1.5 kg. The length of the body reaches 28 cm, and the size of the tail is approximately 18 cm.

Hurricane Irma caused the formation of high waves that hit the island and led to the flooding of a vast area of ​​mangrove forests, where this species of animals lived.

The natural disaster caused the death of several hundred iguanas. Sea sponges and corals also suffered from the hurricane.

Florida began recovery after Irma. Photo by ABC News

“I have not had internet since the arrival of Irma. The hurricane did a lot of damage to Miami. Millions of Florida residents are sitting without electricity,” says Twitter user Makada.

Do not forget about the marauders who rampage in the same Miami, taking advantage of the situation. One of the YouTube users posted a video of the robbery of one of the supermarkets.

Miami-Dade County police arrested 28 people for theft and looting during Hurricane Irma.

28 arrests so far for burglary/looting. Our officers remain on patrol and the curfew is in effect until 7am. #HurricaneIrma

Earlier, law enforcement officers red-handed detained nine robbers in the city of Fort Lauderdale. The attackers tried to rob the pawnshop during the rampant elements. Similar cases were observed in Texas during the recent hurricane Harvey.

Crisis in the Florida Keys
Jane O'Brien, a BBC correspondent from Miami, has this to say about the situation in the Florida Keys:
Overall, Miami could not have had much better luck. The center of the hurricane did not pass through the city itself, but it hit the Florida Keys (a chain of coral islands about 25 km from the US coast). It is to the islands that the attention of rescuers is riveted.

Communication with the islands was poor as early as Friday. A number of people evacuated and stayed in the same hotel as us, and it was difficult for them to keep in touch with relatives who remained.
About 10,000 people were reportedly left on the islands to wait out the storm. We don't know what's wrong with them now.
The first thing the rescuers have to do is to check how many of the 42 bridges connecting the islands to each other have remained intact. If at least one is not functional, then problems may arise - one of the islands may be isolated.

The entire area of ​​the islands is closed - it is impossible to get there until the authorities finish assessing the damage.

The scale of the rescue operation
More than 6.5 million homes across the state of Florida remain without electricity. For example, in Collier County, 90% of the houses have no electricity. In Miami, 80% of all high-voltage wires were cut off, large areas of the city were flooded, although compared to many other parts of the state, the city did not suffer catastrophic damage. Many people report that, in addition to electricity, the water supply to their homes is intermittent.

A drone video from the city of Naples, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, about 200 km northwest of Miami, shows rows of destroyed one-story houses and flooded streets between them.

President Donald Trump bailed out Florida with a large budget, calling Hurricane Irma a "big monster."

The money will go to medical care, clearing rubble, restoring electricity and repairing buildings.

Monroe County (pop. 73,000) rescue manager Martin Centerfitt says a large air force and national guard rescue mission will soon arrive in the state, according to the Miami Herald.

In the Florida Keys, which belong to Monroe County, "emergency burial teams" are to arrive as part of the mission.

The state government's director of rescue programs, Brian Kuhn, told reporters that it would be impossible to determine the exact number of victims before the rescue operation began.

As little as six inches of moving water can knock you down. Stay inside. stay safe.