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.
Officials say at least one tornado has been reported in coastal Georgia.
Glynn County emergency officials had no immediate reports of tornado damage, the Associated Press said.
Tropical Storm Irma is gradually losing strength as it passed through northern Florida with the National Hurricane Center discontinuing four storm surge and tropical storm warnings. Irma's sustained winds are now to 65 mph
From Clark Mindock in Naples: Open stores are few and far between in Naples the day after Hurricane Irma's landfall.
At least one, the Mermaid Food Store on US 41 is open, though. Inside the small convenience store, a line snakes through the dark aisles of beer, soft drinks, and snacks.
"Mostly snacks," Leslie Lee said, when asked what she had picked up inside. She said she lives about seven miles from the store.
"Someone told us a store was open here, so it was our only choice," she said.
"Others left carrying six packs. A grandmother and her granddaughter cracked open glass bottles of Sprite.
Still others left empty handed. Nearly everywhere in the region is out of power, just like the store. Ice is not on the menu, neither are torches.
"We were looking for ice to cool our water and drinks," Tab McGrill said.
But he may have to make do without ice and cold drinks for days in this scorching Florida summer, he conceded. Still, at least the and his wife made it through the storm, he said.
"That was the scariest thing we've ever seen," Mr McGrill said.
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