Just as southern Texas began to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, Florida and the Caribbean soon endured Hurricane Irma, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. At its peak it was a Category 5 cyclone with winds of up to 185 miles per hour. (The last devastating Category 5 storm to hit Florida was Hurricane Andrew in 1992.)
Hurricane Irma made landfall this weekend, lashing Florida with 130 m.p.h. Winds as it moved up the coast. A weakened Irma has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, but challenging conditions persist. Approximately 13 million people were without electricity because of Irma, with nearly every corner of Florida feeling the storm’s wrath.
Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Georgia, and South Carolina have all declared a state of emergency. Irma first struck the tiny island of Barbuda in the Caribbean, leaving the island “barely habitable,” according to its prime minister. A number of properties owned by Donald Trump are also at risk, including Mar-a-Lago.
Many residents are also facing fuel shortages. Gas stations are struggling to keep up with demand, driving gas prices in Florida up to $2.71 a gallon.
And Irma isn’t alone. Hurricanes Katia and Jose— Category 1 and Category 2 storms, respectively—have emerged. Katia is expected to reach Mexico’s coast by Thursday and Jose is predicted to become more powerful by the weekend.
Click through the gallery to see photos from the impact of Hurricane Irma.
