Millions without Power in Florida

As Hurricane Irma dissipated into a tropical storm on Monday, residents in the US state of Florida emerged to streets littered with debris and downed trees while nearly two-thirds of the state was left without electricity. Washington Post reported that lack of electricity across most of South Florida was the most pressing and crippling problem. Millions could remain in the dark for days or even weeks as utility companies struggle to navigate impassable roads and floodwaters to slowly restore power. Irma’s thrashing winds cut power to two-thirds of all power company customers in Florida, totaling more than 6.5 million customer accounts. Because each account often represents more than one person, the overall number may be historic, said Eric Silagy, president and chief executive of Florida Power and Light (FPL), the state’s largest utility.