page_title: Effects of Hurricane Irma in Florida
section_title: Florida Keys
hierarchical_section_title: Effects of Hurricane Irma in Florida / Impact / Florida Keys
caption_attribution_description: English: Remains of Hurricane Irma's damage in Marathon, Florida on Sunday, September 17, 2017. PHOTO BY J.T. BLATTY / FEMA
context_page_description: Hurricane Irma was the costliest storm in the history of the U.S. state of Florida. Irma developed from a tropical wave near the Cape Verde Islands on August 30, 2017. The storm quickly became a hurricane on August 31 and then a major hurricane shortly thereafter, but would oscillate in intensity over the next few days. By September 4, Irma resumed strengthening, and became a powerful Category 5 hurricane on the following day. The cyclone then struck Saint Maarten and the British Virgin Islands on September 6 and later crossed Little Inagua in the Bahamas on September 8. Irma briefly weakened to a Category 4, but re-intensified into a Category 5 hurricane before making landfall in the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago of Cuba. After falling to Category 3 status due to land interaction, the storm re-strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane in the Straits of Florida. Irma struck Florida twice on September 10 – the first as a Category 4 at Cudjoe Key and the second on Marco Island as a Category 3. The hurricane weakened significantly over Florida and was reduced to a tropical storm before exiting the state into Georgia on September 11.
context_section_description: In the Florida Keys of Monroe County, the hurricane caused major damage to homes, buildings, trailer parks, boats, roads, the electricity supply, mobile phone coverage, internet access, sanitation, the water supply, and the fuel supply. Initially, it was estimated that about 25% of homes were destroyed and 65% of others suffered extensive damage. An assessment completed in late November indicated that 27,649 homes experienced some degree of damage, including 1,179 homes being destroyed, 2,977 homes receiving major damage, and 5,361 suffering minor damage. The storm left 89 out of 108 (82%) of Monroe County's cell phone towers out of commission. More than 1,300 boats in the county were damaged or destroyed. From Islamorada southward, portions of the Overseas Highway was covered in trees, sea grass, small boats, parts of broken homes and buildings, and other debris. Fourteen deaths occurred in the Florida Keys.
  At Dry Tortugas National Park, a 60 ft (18 m) portion of the moat wall at Fort Jefferson collapsed. In Key West, several large trees were downed, a few of which fell on the former residence of author Shel Silverstein, severely damaging the house. Large waves partially defaced the iconic Southernmost point buoy. Moreover, storm surge inundated low-lying parts of the city with up to 3 ft (0.91 m) of water, while heavily tourist-trafficked areas such as Caroline Street were also flooded. Throughout the city, 282 homes received minor damage, 39 suffered major damage, and 23 were destroyed. Three fatalities were reported in Key West. One home suffered minor damage on Key Haven. On Stock Island, 22 homes received minor damaged, 15 were inflicted with substantial damage, and 17 others were completely destroyed. Nearby, a person drowned aboard a partially capsized boat. A total of 31 homes suffered slight damages on Rockland Key, while 5 others were demolished.
  Between Big Coppitt Key and Lower Sugarloaf Key, widespread roof damage occurred to small homes and businesses with gable ends, especially those exposed to strong north winds. A few mobile homes were destroyed, though newer mobile homes suffered little damage. On Big Coppitt Key, 63 dwellings experienced minor damage, 4 received extensive damage, and 6 others were leveled. The storm wrought major damage to 7 homes on Geiger Key, while 12 residences were completely destroyed. On Sugarloaf Key, including the upper and lower portions, 207 homes suffered minor damage, 103 experienced major damage, and 19 were destroyed. Strong winds on the island also toppled the Sugarloaf Key Bat Tower. Several homes on Cudjoe Key were reduced to piles of rubble, including newer homes built on stilts, which generally experienced the least amount of damage throughout the Florida Keys. Throughout the island, 625 homes were inflicted minor damage, 52 were inflicted severe damage, and 81 were destroyed.
  On Summerland Key, a dorm was deroofed and the ground level storage facilities were damaged by storm surge at the Brighton Environmental Center at the Florida National High Adventure Sea Base. The storm also caused minor damage to 20 homes, major damage to 10 homes, and destroyed 1 home. At Ramrod Key, 493 dwellings received minor damage, 12 received extensive damage, and 19 others were demolished. A total of 129 residences were inflicted minor damage, 26 were inflicted substantial damage, and 37 others were destroyed in the Torch Keys, with a majority of property damage on Little Torch Key. Storm surge reached at least 10 ft (3.0 m) on Little Torch Key. Consequently, several homes were flooded, while boats were capsized or swept ashore. A number of dead fish were washed onto one road. On Big Pine Key, which suffered some of the worst property damage, 633 homes received minor impact, 299 homes received major impact, and 473 homes were completely destroyed. At the National Key Deer Refuge, the storm damaged a bunkhouse and trailer beyond repair, destroyed a boat dock, flooded the maintenance shop with at least 4 ft (1.2 m) of water, and left five park vehicles inoperable due to water damage. 
caption: Storm damage in the city of Marathon
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