By Amanda Froelich, The Mind Unleashed

Did you know? Hurricane Irma, which recently tore into the Caribbean and is heading towards Florida, is one of the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricanes on record. Though the hurricane has downgraded to a Category 4 from a Category 5, its wind speed remains about 150 mph.

Compared to Hurricane Harvey which “parked” in one place, Irma is “a whirling dervish” that has great potential to wreak havoc on Florida and Cuba over the weekend. Reportedly, Irma destroyed “95 percent” of Saint Martin, Barbuda, and the British Virgin Islands. Millions of people are now left without access to water, electricity or phone service. And, at least 10 are dead.

Because of Irma’s strength, a Hurricane Watch is in effect in the Bahamas, Cuba and the state of Florida. In the Florida Keys and low-lying parts of Miami-Dade County, officials have announced mandatory evacuation orders. Schools are closed, shelters have been set up, and 7,000 members of the National Guard will deploy to the region today.

Hurricane Irma is not the only natural disaster to be wary of. A new hurricane, dubbed Jose, recently strengthened to an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm. According to the National Hurricane Center, Jose has sustained winds up to 150 mph.

Philip Klotzbach of Colorado State University said this is the first time on record that two hurricanes with 150-plus mph winds are in the Atlantic ocean at the same time. Perhaps now people will acknowledge the stark reality of climate change and adopt sustainable habits to prevent future events from worsening.

Following are 45+ harrowing images of the destruction Irma has already caused:

#1 People Evacuating Their Chickens From The Florida Keys

#2 Paraquita Bay (Before And After Irma Damage)

#3 Popular Ivan’s Stress-Free Bar On Jost Van Dyke In The British Virgin Islands (Before And After Irma Damage)

#4 Beach Plaza Hotel In St Martin (Before And After Irma Damage)

#5 Dogs Take Refuge From The Rain As Hurricane Irma Makes Its Entry Into Samana, Dominican Republic, On Thursday

#6 Wind Swept Cars Are Piled On Top Of One Another In Marigot, Saint Martin, After The Passage Of Hurricane Irma

#7 Strange Scene Along The Coast Of Saint Martin After Roofs Were Torn Off Houses And Blown Off In To The Streets

#8 Aftermath From Hurricane Irma In Puerto Rico

#9 Smoke Rises From A Fire Amid Debris And Damaged Buildings In Marigot, Near The Bay Of Nettle, On The French Island Of Saint Martin On Wednesday

#10 Popular Honky Tonk Bar In Philipsburg St Martin (Before And After Irma Damage)

#11 The Hotel Mercure In Marigot, Saint Martin, Is Left In Ruins Following An Impact From Hurricane Irma

#12 Rescue Staff From The Municipal Emergency Management Agency Investigate An Empty Flooded Car During The Passage Of Hurricane Irma Through The Northeastern Part Of The Island In Fajardo, Puerto Rico

#13 A Woman Looks At Empty Shelves That Are Normally Filled With Bottles Of Water After Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello Declared A State Of Emergency In San Juan, Puerto Rico

#14 Luxury Yachts Were Destroyed And Sunk As Huge Waves Battered The Coast Of St Martin Overnight

#15 Broken Palm Trees On The Beach Of The Hotel Mercure In Marigot, Saint Martin

#16 The Aftermath Of Hurricane Irma On Saint Martin

#17 Aerial Photograph Taken And Released By The Dutch Department Of Defense On Wednesday Reveals The Damage Of Hurricane Irma On The Princess Juliana International Airport And Simpson Bay Beach On The Dutch Caribbean Territory Of Sint Maarten

#18 An Employee From An Electrical Company Works To Remove A Tree Felled By Hurricane Irma, In Sanchez, Dominican Republic, On Thursday

#19 Irma Ruined These Vehicles In St. Thomas

#20 Debris Is Seen During A Storm Surge Near The Puerto Chico Harbor In Fajardo, Puerto Rico

#21 Car Was Left Overturned After Hurricane Irma Devastated  St Martin

#22 Damaged Cars Are Seen On A St. Martin Beach

#23 The Flooding In St Martin

#24 An Aerial Photograph Taken And Released By The Dutch Department Of Defense On Wednesday Shows The Damage Of Hurricane Irma In Philipsburg On The Dutch Caribbean Territory Of Sint Maarten

#25 Princess Juliana Airport (Before And After Irma Damage)

#26 People Pick Up Debris As Hurricane Irma Howls Past In Fajardo, Puerto Rico, On Wednesday

#27 A Damaged Home In Marigot, Saint Martin, Is Left Filled With Sand After The Passage Of Hurricane Irma

#28 The Interior Of A Home In Marigot, Saint Martin, Is Left Filled With Sand Following The Passage Of Hurricane Irma

#29 A Man Walks Among Debris As Hurricane Irma Moves Off The Northern Coast Of The Dominican Republic, In Nagua

#30 A Woman Pulls A Travel Case On A Road In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Irma In Fajardo, Puerto Rico

#31 A Woman Pushes Out Floodwaters On Her Property After The Passing Of Hurricane Irma, In St. John’s, Antigua

#32 Piles Of Debris And A Boat Are Washed Up Onto Shore In Marigot, Saint Martin, After The Passage Of Hurricane Irma

#33 Cars Were Crushed By Flying Debris And Roofs Were Torn Off Houses On Saint Martin As The Storms Hit

#34 A Man Rests On A Cot Inside A Shelter Set Up At The Berta Zalduondo Elementary School During The Passage Of Hurricane Irma In Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Credit: Carlos Giusti

#35 Shoppers Wait In Line For The Arrival Of A Shipment Of Water During Preparations For The Impending Arrival Of Hurricane Irma In Altamonte Springs, Fla.

#36 A Car Is Left Turned Onto Its Side From Hurricane Winds In Marigot, Saint Martin, On Wednesday

#37 Waves Crash Against A Seawall As Hurricane Irma Slams Fajardo, Puerto Rico, On Wednesday

#38 An Aerial Photograph Taken And Released By The Dutch Department Of Defense On Wednesday Shows The Damage Of Hurricane Irma On The Dutch Caribbean Island Of Sint Maarten

#39 An Aerial Photograph Taken And Released By The Dutch Department Of Defense On Wednesday Shows The Damage Of Hurricane Irma In Philipsburg, Saint Maarten

#40 Palm Trees Buckle Under Winds And Rain As Hurricane Irma Slammed Across Islands In The Northern Caribbean In Fajardo, Puerto Rico

#41 Dolphin Discovery Attraction On Tortola In The Virgin Islands (Before And After Irma Damage)

#42 A House Reduced To Rubble On The French-administered Territory Of St Bart, After The Passage Of Hurricane Irma

#43 The Grand Case Beach Club In St. Martin After Hurricane Irma

#44 Locals Walk Through The Ruins Of A Harbor Area On The Island Of Saint Martin After The Hurricane Left It In Ruins

#45 A Lone Police Car On Patrol During The Passing Of Hurricane Irma On September 6, 2017 In Fajardo, Puerto Rico

#46 Members Of The Civil Defence Run As Hurricane Irma Howls Past Puerto Rico

#47 A Man Carrying An Umbrella Walks Down A Street In Puerto Rico

#48 Families Gather At A Shelter In A Local Church During The Evening Before The Arrival Of Hurricane Irma In Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic

#49 Wreckage In A Street Of Gustavia In Saint-barthelemy In The Caribbean

#50 Cars Are Left Piled On Top Of One Another At The Hotel Mercure In Marigot, Saint Martin

Credit: Lionel Chamoiseau

h/t Bored Panda