Hurricane Irma made seven landfalls which struck the Caribbean and Bahamas, then moving forcefully with destruction throughout Florida. It seems the majority of people decided to leave the state as they were told emergency responders would not be able to rescue them during the height of the storm. News coverage continues with people looting and still trying to sift through the damage.

According to Naples Daily News, the current death toll is 34.

“I feel worried and scared for everyone who was affected. I vacationed all over Florida over the summer but I spent a majority of my trip in Cape Coral,” sophomore Kara Brooks said. “Luckily, the house that I stayed at, and Cape Coral in general, was not affected too bad. I’m very grateful for that.”

Hurricane Irma has left 6.2 million people without power and nearly half of Florida will continue without electricity for weeks and months. These people will also have fuel and food shortages. This tropical monster was the most intense Atlantic hurricane observed in over a decade. Irma first developed near the Cape Verde Islands as a tropical wave that moved off from the west by the African Coast two days before it hit. Hurricane Irma hit as a category five then downgraded to a category four, ultimately labeled as a tropical storm by Tampa Bay on Monday. Soon it pushed into Georgia causing additional damages. Irma flooded streets and spawned tornadoes. Lots of people are displaced and with curfew enforcement in place, it will be days before people can access their homes.

As the big clean up begins, the Red Cross and first responders are setting up safe locations and making announcements to help people return to Florida and start the long recovery process.