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| Storm Michael: Record-breaking storm mauls US south-east | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The third-strongest storm in recorded history to hit the mainland US has battered north-west Florida, flooding beach towns and snapping trees. | The third-strongest storm in recorded history to hit the mainland US has battered north-west Florida, flooding beach towns and snapping trees. |
| Rescue services are waiting for daylight to assess the full impact of Hurricane Michael, which made landfall on Wednesday afternoon as a category four storm with 155mph (250km/h) winds. | |
| Two people, including a child, were killed by falling debris. | |
| Having weakened to a tropical storm, Michael is on its way to the Carolinas. | |
| Storm-surge warnings are in place between Panama City Beach and Keaton Beach in Florida, and between Ocracoke Inlet and Duck in North Carolina, the US National Hurricane Center says. | Storm-surge warnings are in place between Panama City Beach and Keaton Beach in Florida, and between Ocracoke Inlet and Duck in North Carolina, the US National Hurricane Center says. |
| There are fears for people who ignored evacuation warnings in some of the areas now flooded. | There are fears for people who ignored evacuation warnings in some of the areas now flooded. |
| Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses were left without electricity in Florida, Alabama and Georgia. | Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses were left without electricity in Florida, Alabama and Georgia. |
| How powerful was Michael when it landed? | |
| Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, at around 14:00 (18:00 GMT) on Wednesday. | Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, at around 14:00 (18:00 GMT) on Wednesday. |
| Only the unnamed Labor Day hurricane, which hit Florida in 1935, and Hurricane Camille, which struck Mississippi in 1969, made landfall with greater intensity. | Only the unnamed Labor Day hurricane, which hit Florida in 1935, and Hurricane Camille, which struck Mississippi in 1969, made landfall with greater intensity. |
| The Labor Day storm's barometric pressure (the lower the number, the stronger the storm) was 892 millibars and Camille's was 900, while Michael blew in with 919. | The Labor Day storm's barometric pressure (the lower the number, the stronger the storm) was 892 millibars and Camille's was 900, while Michael blew in with 919. |
| Michael was so powerful as it swept into Florida that it remained a hurricane as it moved further inland. | Michael was so powerful as it swept into Florida that it remained a hurricane as it moved further inland. |
| Its rapid intensification caught many by surprise, although the storm later weakened. | Its rapid intensification caught many by surprise, although the storm later weakened. |
| Unusually warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico turbo-charged the storm from a tropical depression on Sunday. | Unusually warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico turbo-charged the storm from a tropical depression on Sunday. |
| Only on Tuesday it was a category two hurricane but by Wednesday morning it had reached borderline category five, the highest level. | Only on Tuesday it was a category two hurricane but by Wednesday morning it had reached borderline category five, the highest level. |
| Who are the victims? | |
| Florida officials say a man was killed when he was crushed in an incident involving a tree in Gadsden County. | |
| In Seminole County, Georgia, a metal car-shelter lifted by a gust of wind hit a mobile home, killing a girl of 11. | |
| Travis Brooks, director of Seminole County's emergency management agency, told ABC News there was "complete and total devastation". | |
| The entire county was "pitch black" and there were no clear roads, he said. | |
| Michael earlier reportedly killed at least 13 people as it passed through Central America: six in Honduras, four in Nicaragua and three in El Salvador. | |
| How badly was Florida hit? | How badly was Florida hit? |
| More than 370,000 people in Florida were ordered to evacuate but officials believe many ignored the warning. | More than 370,000 people in Florida were ordered to evacuate but officials believe many ignored the warning. |
| The coastal city of Apalachicola reported a storm surge of nearly 8ft (2.5m). | The coastal city of Apalachicola reported a storm surge of nearly 8ft (2.5m). |
| "There are so many downed power lines and trees that it's almost impossible to get through the city," local mayor Van Johnson was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. | "There are so many downed power lines and trees that it's almost impossible to get through the city," local mayor Van Johnson was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. |
| Images from Mexico Beach show many homes submerged in water, and there was severe damage to buildings in the state's Panama City area. | Images from Mexico Beach show many homes submerged in water, and there was severe damage to buildings in the state's Panama City area. |
| "We are catching some hell," Timothy Thomas, who rode out the storm with his wife in their home in Panama City, told the Associated Press news agency. | "We are catching some hell," Timothy Thomas, who rode out the storm with his wife in their home in Panama City, told the Associated Press news agency. |
| The storm knocked out power to a quarter of a million homes and businesses, as power lines were smashed by falling trees. | The storm knocked out power to a quarter of a million homes and businesses, as power lines were smashed by falling trees. |
| Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long said at the White House that he was especially concerned about buildings constructed before 2001, and not able to withstand such high winds. | Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long said at the White House that he was especially concerned about buildings constructed before 2001, and not able to withstand such high winds. |
| "We just hope those structures can hold up," President Donald Trump responded. "And if not, that they're not in those structures." | "We just hope those structures can hold up," President Donald Trump responded. "And if not, that they're not in those structures." |
| States of emergency have been declared in all or parts of Florida, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. | States of emergency have been declared in all or parts of Florida, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. |
| Schools and state offices in the area are to remain shut this week and Florida has activated 3,500 National Guard troops. | Schools and state offices in the area are to remain shut this week and Florida has activated 3,500 National Guard troops. |
| What happens next? | What happens next? |
| As of early Thursday morning local time, the storm winds had dropped to 60mph, the NHC said. | As of early Thursday morning local time, the storm winds had dropped to 60mph, the NHC said. |
| It warned that communities in north-west Florida and North Carolina faced the threat of life-threatening flooding as rising water moved inland from the coast. | It warned that communities in north-west Florida and North Carolina faced the threat of life-threatening flooding as rising water moved inland from the coast. |
| The Carolinas are still recovering from the floods of Hurricane Florence. | The Carolinas are still recovering from the floods of Hurricane Florence. |
| Are you in the affected region? What preparations have you made? If it is safe to do so, please get in touch. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in the affected region? What preparations have you made? If it is safe to do so, please get in touch. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |