Irma claims first victims, Miami underwater

20:00 Almost a million and a half people in Florida have lost power, and repairs to the electrical system could take weeks, Reuters reported. President Donald Trump has been informed of the situation and of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) preparations for the hurricane, the White House announced.

Often, the speed of winds is most remembered during hurricanes, but the real danger for coastal cities is flooding, i.e., a sudden rise in sea level that often arrives even before the hurricane itself.

This phenomenon, known as storm surge, could raise sea levels by up to 4.5 meters in southwestern Florida in some places, depending on the terrain, and cause extensive flooding.

Almost a million and a half people in Florida have lost power, and repairs to the electrical system could take weeks, Reuters reported.

Most of the hurricanes that have recently hit America originated in the same place. This location is near the coast of West Africa, near Cape Verde.

The ABC television network reported that three people died in the hurricane's onslaught, including a deputy sheriff. He died in a traffic accident that occurred after he left a shelter, according to CNN.

The Guardian reports that water has entered southeastern Miami, and the heaviest rain, accompanied by strong winds, is yet to come. This situation will last for hours.

 

Hurricane Irma, which hit the southern part of the Miami peninsula today, continues to move towards the center of the peninsula, and the maximum wind speeds of the strongest hurricane in the last 50 years exceed 200 kilometers per hour.

Hurricane Irma, which hit the southern part of the Miami peninsula today, continues to move towards the center of the peninsula, and the maximum wind speeds of the strongest hurricane in the last 50 years exceed 200 kilometers per hour.

More than 1.35 million people are without electricity, and rescue services are warning of rising sea levels and incoming waves, CNN reports. Witnesses report seeing waves several meters high, and US authorities warn that this is a "life-threatening danger".

US President Donald Trump has spoken several times with the Governor of Florida and the governors of four other southern states that could be affected by the hurricane.

- Pray for us - said Florida Governor Rick Scott.

Irma has already caused the largest evacuation in US history, and is expected to cause catastrophic material damage in the third most populous US state, whose economy accounts for 5 percent of US national income.