Irma Aftermath: When Can People Return To Miami?

Miami Beach residents who evacuated ahead of Hurricane Irma will have to wait until midday Tuesday before they can return. In the aftermath of the storm, downed trees and power lines blocked roads which made it unsafe to travel.

After Hurricane Irma assaulted Florida, conditions were deemed unsafe until emergency officials can assess and clear the area, CBS reported Monday. The area is under curfew starting 7 p.m. Monday until 7 a.m. Tuesday.

"If you leave the city please remember that you will not be permitted to enter until Tuesday at noon," Miami Beach officials said Sunday night.

There are several dangerous areas of town that have downed power lines and debris that need to be removed, according to city officials. The city has asked residents to stay in their homes during the clean-up effort.

"We have power lines down, we have trees blocking the road, we have some gas leaks around Miami Beach, we have power outages everywhere," Mayor Philip Levine told CBS. "We have crews all over the city clearing the roads. We want the people of Miami Beach to return as soon as possible and as safe as possible."

"I beg and plead for everyone’s patience, we want everybody to come back but we want you to come back in a safe mode," he continued.

"The crews on Miami Beach are doing everything they can to clear up these streets," Levine said in a video posted on Twitter. "(They're) cutting down the trees that are blocking the roads, and of course, those power lines need to be taken care of."

"Miami Beach is working hard to quickly clear our streets so that residents can safely return home ASAP! #IrmaRecovery," the mayor tweeted.

Because of the city’s provisions and the storm’s shift, the area showed no signs of structural damage or prolonged flooding, the mayor stated.

"We are thankful that the flooding Miami Beach had was minimal," Levine said. "The areas where we raised our roads, put in pumps, put in portable generators, fared very well. There was no flooding whatsoever. We are very, very happy about that."

Residents are allowed re-access first, then business owners, employees, and contractors, however, they are required to present identification which proves their Miami Beach residence. Business owners and their employees are required to provide identification that the city afforded them before they evacuated.

All parking facilities will return to normal use and start to charge beginning Wednesday morning at 9.a.m. All vehicle owners who sheltered their cars in the garage are required to move it.