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In pictures: Hurricane Irma continues its path of destruction into Florida

Hurricane Irma has now claimed at least 32 lives, after killing 28 in the Caribbean and a further four in Florida.

The tropical storm has left four million without power, leading to one of the biggest evacuations in US history.

Irma sucked the water out of bays and pulled down three construction cranes. It has since been downgraded to a Category 1 storm but still carries winds of up to 100mph.

President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration and emergency federal aid for Florida after describing the hurricane as ‘some big monster’.

At 2am local time (7am BST) this morning, the eye of the hurricane was about 25 miles north-east of Tampa. This is the first large hurricane the city has experienced since 1921.

Rick Scott, the Governor of Florida, said in a tweet: “Life threatening wind is expected through much of the state. Stay alert and listen to local weather updates.”

Before attacking the USA, the hurricane hit the Caribbean. The Island of Barbuda is thought to be almost entirely ruined, with 90 per cent of buildings turned to rubble, making it barely habitable.

Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Barbuda, said the island is “literally rubble” amid scenes of “total carnage”. He added: “The entire housing stock was damaged. It is just total devastation.”

The Category 5 storm hit Cuba over the weekend, ripping out power cables and pulling the roofs off of houses. However the country, which prides itself on its hurricane preparation, currently has no storm-related deaths.

Most of Puerto Rico has lost access to water and electricity.

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A street is flooded as Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, Florida.More than four million homes remain without power throughout the state and large parts of the city of Miami are under water. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A floundered boat is shown at the Haulover Marine Center.The ‘monster’ storm was downgraded from category three to one on Monday morning but still has maximum sustained winds of 85mph.(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Flood waters rise around signs at the Haulover Marine Center at Haulover Park in North Miami Beach, Florida. State governor Rick Scott warned people that only a small amount of water could have a dangerous effect. He said: “Stay inside. Stay safe.” (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

The eye of Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, Florida. So far, six million people have fled in one of the biggest evacuations in US history. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

A boat rests on its side in what is normally six feet of water in Old Tampa Bay and an unusual low tide pushed water out into the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

Residents float down a flooded street in Havana atop a large piece of styrofoam. There were no immediate reports of deaths in Cuba, a country that prides itself on its disaster preparedness, but authorities were trying to restore power and clear roads. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

In this photo by the British Ministry of Defence, some of the damage to The British Virgin Isles is seen from the air. The wild isolation that made St. Barts, St. Martin, Anguilla and the Virgin Islands vacation paradises has turned them into cutoff, chaotic nightmares in the wake of Hurricane Irma, which left 22 people dead, mostly in the Leeward Islands. (MOD via AP)

People move through flooded streets in Havana after the passage of Hurricane Irma, in Cuba. The powerful storm ripped roofs off houses, collapsed buildings and flooded hundreds of miles of coastline after cutting a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. Cuban officials warned residents to watch for even more flooding over the next few days. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

Waves crash into El Morro after the passing of Hurricane Irma, in Havana. Coastal towns and cities were swamped by storm surge waters, leaving parts of Havana submerged as Irma moved on. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)