After wreaking havoc in Florida in the United States, Hurricane Irma on Monday afternoon swept into Georgia, where it killed three people, and South Carolina, where one person died, AP reported. The storm had already claimed at least 28 lives in a number of Caribbean islands over the weekend and 10 in Cuba alone.
Irma weakened to a tropical storm as it advanced towards Georgia, moving with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, the US National Hurricane Centre said.
Power supply was cut for more than 73 lakh homes and businesses in Florida, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama, Reuters reported on Monday. The world’s busiest airport in Atlanta, Georgia, was forced to cancel hundreds of flights.
On Monday, heavy rain brought in by Hurricane Irma led to massive flooding in several cities in northern Florida. The rising sea level also contributed to the deluge. The storm ripped the roofs off of several homes, causing power outages in 60 lakh homes, or 62% of the state.
Residents were advised against returning to their houses as authorities worked to restore power, fuel, water and other supply, Reuters reported.
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