Irma - live updates: At least three dead in Florida as storm heads north
Officials order people to flee historic storm, which has killed at least 36 people as it devastated parts of the Caribbean
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Your support makes all the difference.Hurricane Irma has pummeled Florida from coast-to-coast with winds up to 130mph, flooding homes and boats, knocking out power to millions of people and toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline.
The 400-mile-wide (640-kilometer-wide) storm blew ashore in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then marched up its western coast, its punishing winds extending clear across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side.
Irma, which has killed at least 28 people after pushing through the Caribbean, was considered a life-threatening danger in Florida as well, and could inflict a natural disaster causing billions of dollars in damage to the third-most-populous US state.
While Irma raked Florida's Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.
In one of the largest US evacuations, nearly seven million people in the Southeast were warned to seek shelter elsewhere, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.
Residents and holidaymakers were ordered to stay indoors until the storm had passed, with many Brits left holed up in apartments or hotel rooms.
About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused, in part because, to many storm-hardened residents, staying behind in the face of danger is a point of pride.
fter leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, some 200 miles (320 kilometers) from the sea.
President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Florida, opening the way for federal aid.
The Governor of Florida, Rick Scott, has warned "life threatening" wind is expected to continue throughout much of the state.
More than 120 homes are being evacuated in Orange County, just outside Orlando, as floodwaters from Hurricane Irma started to pour in.
The Orange County Emergency Operations Center said the fire department and the National Guard are going door-to-door using boats to ferry families to safety.
No injuries have been reported. The rescued families are being taken a shelter for safety.
A few miles away, 30 others had to be evacuated when a 60-foot sinkhole opened up under an apartment building. No injuries were reported.
Police in Lakeland, Florida, say a family with small children was rescued from a car that was submerged in water as Hurricane Irma crossed the area.
Lakeland police said in a Facebook post officers rescued the family of four early as water reached the children's car seats.
No one was injured and police were able to get the family back to their home.
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"When you become a police officer you hope to make a difference in the lives of others," the Facebook post said.
"Tonight, there is no doubt these officers made a difference."
Irma has left nearly 4.6 million customers without power in Florida, Georgia, the AP reports.
Although the storm has weakened, the storm surge could still reach eight feet in some areas of Florida.
The storm is now a Category 1 with winds of up to 75 miles per hour.
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