Hurricane Michael Hit Tyndall Air Force Base, Causing 'Widespread Catastrophic' Damage [Photos]

Hurricane Michael cut directly over Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, causing "widespread catastrophic damage," the initial damage assessment found Thursday.

According to the base’s Facebook page, the Category 4 storm's winds of over 150 mph caused significant structural damage to buildings on the base by peeling off roofs, and tearing down trees and power lines. The base was evacuated Monday, but a small team remained behind. However, no injuries were reported. The evacuation order still remained in effect for the base.

325th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Brian Laidlaw said: “At this point, Tyndall residents and evacuated personnel should remain at their safe location. We are actively developing plans to reunite families and plan to provide safe passage back to base housing.”

The first aerial assessment conducted Thursday showed all base houses had sustained significant damage. Tyndall marina was completely destroyed and the docks were ripped apart. The drone runway and Tyndall Elementary School also sustained severe damage. The base remained closed as power and basic utilities remained unavailable.

In a letter to Tyndall personnel, Laidlaw said the base required extensive cleanup and repairs. Basic utilities needed to be restored, roads and power lines repaired, and structural integrity of the buildings assessed.

“I know that you are eager to return. I ask you to be patient and try to focus on taking care of your families and each other. We can rebuild our base, but we can’t rebuild any of you. I ask that you also keep in your thoughts and prayers tonight our friends and neighbors in our local community. Our area has never seen a storm like this one. We will rebuild together,” he wrote.

Air Force Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command said the air base was home to most sophisticated fighters in the Pentagon's arsenal, such as 325th Fighter Wing, which flies the F-22 Raptor. Most warplanes were relocated before the storm and the command and communication for operations at the base was also shifted, USA Today reported.

Tyndall sits on 29,000 acres that include beaches, stores, restaurants, schools, and tree-lined streets with homes for both active-duty and retired military. It has about 3,600 airmen stationed at the base, according to the New York Times reported.

Hurricane Michael tore across the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday, shredding homes and buildings in its path. It also brought major flooding, damaging winds and tornadoes across Virginia and North Carolina, a day later.

As of Thursday evening, a total of 1.5 million were without power in six states including Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Virginia, South and North Carolinas. A 38-year-old was killed in North Carolina, bringing the total death toll to six.

President Donald Trump expressed sympathy for victims of the hurricane during a White House event against human trafficking Thursday. He also emphasized the federal administration's full support. "FEMA and first responders are on the ground, and we have teams currently conducting search and rescue missions," he said, adding that the "incredible" Coast Guard had saved many lives, CNN reported.

According to the latest advisory by the National Hurricane Center, Michael was moving off the Virginia coast and losing tropical characteristics. However, flash flood warnings were in effect in some parts of North Carolina.