Hurricane Irma slammed the state of Florida over the weekend and left extensive damage in its wake.
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Downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, Irma flooded several northern Florida cities with heavy rain and a high surge of seawater on Monday. Meanwhile, residents of the Florida keys, first walloped by the storm over the weekend, tried to return to their homes.
Irma, which was ranked as one of the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic, cut power to millions of people and ripped roofs off homes as it as it hit much of Florida on Sunday.
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Florida’s largest city, Miami, was spared the brunt of the storm but still suffered heavy flooding. Utility crews were on the streets, clearing downed trees and utility lines. All causeways leading to Miami Beach were closed by police.
With sustained winds of up to 105 km/h, Irma was located about 110 kilometres east of the Florida state capital Tallahassee and headed toward the Georgia border, the National Hurricane Center said at 11 a.m. ET Monday.
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These photos demonstrate the massive damage Irma left behind as it slowly moved through Florida towards the Georgia border.
Flood water from Hurricane Irma surround a damaged mobile home in Bonita Springs, Florida, U.S., September 10.
REUTERS/Bryan Woolston
The crumbled canopy of a gas station damaged by Hurricane Irma is seen in Bonita Springs, Florida, U.S., September 10.
REUTERS/Bryan Woolston
A gas station sign lays destroyed after Hurricane Irma blew though Fort Lauderdale, Florida, September 10.
REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
A truck is seen turned over as Hurricane Irma passes south Florida, in Miami, September 10.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria
A vehicle passes downed palm trees and two cyclists attempt to ride as Hurricane Irma passed through the area on September 10, Miami Beach.
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
A houses is surrounded by water as Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017.
A houses is surrounded by water as Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017.
A car covered by a downed tree sits along a flooded road the morning after Hurricane Irma swept through the area on September 11, 2017 in Naples, Florida.
(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
An awning is shown destroyed at a gas station the morning after Hurricane Irma swept through the area on September 11, 2017 in Naples, Florida.
(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Boats are jammed into the pier after the passage of Hurricane Irma at Grove Harbour in Coconut Grove, Florida, on September 11, 2017.
MICHELE EVE SANDBERG/AFP/Getty Images)
A boat is seen washed ashore at the Dinner Key marina after hurricane Irma passed through the area on September 11, 2017 in Miami, Florida.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Cars make their away through a flooded street the morning after Hurricane Irma swept through the area on September 11, 2017 in Bonita Springs, Florida.
(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
The roof of a gas station is shown damaged by Hurricane Irma winds on September 11, 2017 in Bonita Springs, Florida.
(Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
A sinking boat is surrounded by debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma at Sundance Marine in Palm Shores, Fla., Monday, Sept. 11, 2017.
(Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Ducks swim through a street the morning after Hurricane Irma swept through the area on September 11, 2017 in Naples, Florida.
(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
A view of a street after the Hurricane Irma winds stopped in Miami, Florida, USA, 10 September 2017 (issued 11 September 2017). Many areas are under mandatory evacuation orders as Irma hit Florida. EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA.
EPA/CRISTOBAL HERRERA