Hurricane Irma Hits Southern Florida: Pictures, Videos Show Storm Surge Devastation

Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida, Sunday morning, hitting the Keys around 9 a.m. The storm was a Category 4 when it hit, with winds of around 130 miles per hour. The new anticipated course of the storm will take it up Florida’s west coast, a departure from earlier predictions. The eye of the storm passed over Big Pine Key, Summerland Key and Cudjoe Key, Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.

St. Petersburg and Tampa have not taken a direct hit from a hurricane in nearly 100 years, according to the Associated Press. The storm at points had been a Category 5 with winds of up to 185 miles per hour as it ripped through the Caribbean. At least 25 people are dead so far, massive destruction was caused on the islands of Barbuda and St. Martin.

Currently, there are over 1 million homes without electricity in Florida. Around 6.5 million Floridians are under evacuation orders from officials, according to the New York Times. Florida has been declared in a state of emergency.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Saturday warned that the state could see as much as 18 inches of rain. The Florida Keys could get up to 25 inches of rain and southern parts of the state could get 15-foot storm surges.

“You can't survive these storm surges,” Scott said.

Miami is getting hit with serious winds, causing trees and signs to crack. There has been a large concern of the many constructions cranes dotting the city, and their ability withstand the wind.

Warnings have been stark, residents have been told to heed warnings of officials, and that people in the evacuation zones may be on their own for a while, as emergency personnel will not be able to reach them.

Florida has mobilized all of its National Guard.