UPDATED: 10:39 a.m. EDT, Oct. 11 — Hurricane Michael killed at least two people since it made landfall in Florida’s Panhandle region on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. The town of “Mexico Beach took the brunt, that’s probably ground zero,” Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long said Thursday morning.
Michael never reached a Category 5, the strongest designation for such a storm, but it was still a Category 4 with winds reaching as high as 155 miles per hour, NBC News reported.
The hurricane left massive structural damage to homes and businesses across the region, leaving nearly 8,000 people in shelters in three different states.
Scroll down to see the extent of the damage inflicted by Hurricane Michael’s wrath.
Original story:
Officials in Florida ended mass evacuations Wednesday morning and told remaining residents to stay in place as the powerful Hurricane Michael gained steam in the hours before it was expected to make landfall across the southeastern portion of the United States.
READ MORE: Andrew Gillum Suspends Campaign Activity To Prepare For Hurricane Michael
Hurricane Michael was a category 4 storm, which means it was sustaining winds anywhere from 130-156 miles per hour. But forecasters warned that there was a very real possibility of Michael strengthening all the way up to a category 5 designation, with anything in excess of those 156 miles per hour winds.
The National Weather Service has defined a Category 5 storm as “Catastrophic: Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small buildings blown over or away. Power outages for weeks or months.”
The Florida Panhandle region in the northern part of the state was expected to take the brunt of Michael’s beating. A hurricane with the strength of a category 4 storm has never hit the Florida Panhandle, CNN reported on the air Wednesday morning.
Local colleges, including the HBCU Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, were taking careful steps to make sure their students stayed safe.
“Commuter students, their immediate families, and employees who would like to take shelter in the Foster-Tanner Music Building – Band Rehearsal Hall on Pinder Drive (behind the Student Union) are urged to arrive immediately to avoid traveling in heavy winds and rain,” FAMU wrote on its website Tuesday night. “Boxed meals and water have been delivered to all residence halls, as well as shelters housing students, employees and visitors for Wednesday, October 10.”
As has been shown with past powerful hurricanes, Black residents can many times get hit the hardest when strong storms come. That was true just two months ago, when Hurricane Florence slammed the country’s southeastern coast, disproportionately affecting the African-American community in Wilmington, North Carolina.
With Tallahassee being 35 percent Black, including its own mayor who just happens to be leading the polls running to be the state’s next governor, let’s hope that history does not repeat itself with Hurricane Michael.
Have a look below at some of the images and video coming out of areas that were bracing for Michael’s wrath.
1. Florida Panhandle Faces Major Destruction After Hurricane Michael Hits As Category 4 Storm
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(L-R) Comeasha Stanley, Ramari Stanley and Terrell Atkinson stand near a heavily damaged apartment after Hurricane Michael passed through the area on October 11, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) color image,photography,horizontal,usa,damaged,extreme weather,gulf coast states,weather,environment,apartment,florida – us state,accidents and disasters
2. Hurricane Michael
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A car is seen caught in flood water after category 4 Hurricane Michael made land fall along the Florida panhandle, on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City, FL. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,outdoors,water,car,flood,extreme weather,gulf coast states,human interest,making,environment,trapped,land,florida – us state,accidents and disasters
3. Hurricane Michael
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A warehouse of boats is seen damaged at Treasure Island Marina after category 4 Hurricane Michael made land fall along the Florida panhandle, on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City Beach, FL. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,nautical vessel,damaged,extreme weather,warehouse,gulf coast states,human interest,making,environment,panama city beach,florida – us state
4. Hurricane Michael
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A car is seen caught in flood water after category 4 Hurricane Michael made land fall along the Florida panhandle, on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City, FL. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,outdoors,water,car,flood,extreme weather,gulf coast states,human interest,making,environment,trapped,land,florida – us state,accidents and disasters
5. Hurricane Michael
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Damaged homes are seen after category 4 Hurricane Michael made land fall along the Florida panhandle, on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City Beach, FL. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,damaged,extreme weather,gulf coast states,human interest,making,environment,panama city beach,land,florida – us state
6. Hurricane Michael
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A warehouse of boats is seen damaged at Treasure Island Marina after category 4 Hurricane Michael made land fall along the Florida panhandle, on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City Beach, FL. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,nautical vessel,damaged,extreme weather,warehouse,gulf coast states,human interest,making,environment,panama city beach,florida – us state
7. Hurricane Michael
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Television reporters stand watching as category 4 Hurricane Michael makes land fall along the Florida panhandle, on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Panama City Beach, FL. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,extreme weather,gulf coast states,human interest,environment,journalist,panama city beach,land,watching tv,florida – us state
8. Hurricane Michael Slams Into Florida’s Panhandle Region
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An American flag battered by Hurricane Michael continues to fly in the in the rose colored light of sunset at Shell Point Beach on October 10, 2018 in Crawfordville, Florida.The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images) color image,photography,horizontal,usa,extreme weather,flag,gulf coast states,weather,environment,sunset,storm,bestpix,florida – us state
9. Hurricane Michael Slams Into Florida’s Panhandle Region
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The storm surge from Hurricane Michael pour across a flooded road at Shell Point in the Florida panhandle on October 10, 2018 in Crawfordville, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images) color image,photography,horizontal,usa,road,flood,extreme weather,pouring,gulf coast states,weather,environment,storm,florida – us state,accidents and disasters
10. Now a Cat 4, Hurricane Michael could be the strongest storm to ever hit Florida Panhandle
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View of damages to a McDonald’s in Panama City, Fla., downtown area after Hurricane Michael made landfall along Florida’s Panhandle on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. (Pedro Portal/Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,damaged,extreme weather,gulf coast states,weather,making,environment,downtown district,mcdonald’s,florida – us state,accidents and disasters
11. US-WEATHER-HURRICANE
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Storm damage is seen after Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Florida on October 10, 2018. – Michael slammed into the Florida coast on October 10 as the most powerful storm to hit the southern US state in more than a century as officials warned it could wreak ‘unimaginable devastation.’ Michael made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Mexico Beach, a town about 20 miles (32kms) southeast of Panama City, around 1:00 pm Eastern time (1700 GMT), the National Hurricane Center said. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,topix,bestof,beach,damaged,extreme weather,mexico,gulf coast states,weather,making,environment,panama city beach,storm,town,close to,bestpix,florida – us state,landfall,national hurricane center
12. Hurricane Michael Slams Into Florida’s Panhandle Region
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PANAMA CITY, FL – OCTOBER 10: People look on at a damaged store after Hurricane Michael passed through on October 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. Michael made landfall at Mexico Beach today a Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, the most powerful storm ever to hit the Florida Panhandle. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) color image,photography,people,horizontal,usa,damaged,extreme weather,gulf coast states,store,weather,environment,panama city beach,florida – us state
13. Hurricane Michael Slams Into Florida’s Panhandle Region
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PANAMA CITY, FL – OCTOBER 10: Damaged buildings and a flooded street are seen after hurricane Michael passed through the downtown area on October 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) color image,photography,horizontal,usa,destruction,damaged,flood,extreme weather,street,built structure,gulf coast states,weather,environment,panama city beach,downtown district,hurricane – storm,florida – us state,accidents and disasters
14. Hurricane Michael Slams Into Florida’s Panhandle Region
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PANAMA CITY, FL – OCTOBER 10: Downed powerlines are seen after hurricane Michael passed through the downtown area on October 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane hit the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) color image,photography,horizontal,usa,extreme weather,gulf coast states,weather,environment,panama city beach,downtown district,hurricane – storm,florida – us state,knocked down
15. Hurricane Michael Slams Into Florida’s Panhandle Region
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PANAMA CITY, FL – OCTOBER 10: A trash can and debris are blown down a street by Hurricane Michael on October 10, 2018 in Panama City, Florida. The hurricane made landfall on the Florida Panhandle as a category 4 storm. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) color image,photography,horizontal,usa,extreme weather,street,gulf coast states,weather,environment,panama city beach,rubble,garbage,florida – us state
16. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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The storm surge and waves from Hurricane Michael batter the beachfront homes on October 10, 2018, in the Florida Panhandle community of Shell Point Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
17. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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A trash can and debris are blown down a street by Hurricane Michael on October 10, 2018, in Panama City, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
18. Hurricane Michael
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View of wild waves hitting the coast early morning in Panama City Beach Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 before the arrival of Hurricane Michael. (Pedro Portal/Miami Herald/TNS via Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,arrival,extreme weather,gulf coast states,morning,waving,weather,environment,panama city beach,wednesday,florida – us state
19. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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The storm surge and waves from Hurricane Michael start to overtake the roads and homes four hours prior to high tide on October 10, 2018, in the Florida Panhandle community of Shell Point Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images) (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
20. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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The storm surge from Hurricane Michael pushes into the homes four hours prior to high tide on October 10, 2018, in the Florida Panhandle community of Shell Point Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images) (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
21. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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Debris is blown down a street by Hurricane Michael on October 10, 2018, in Panama City, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
22. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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The Cooter Stew Cafe starts taking water in the town of Saint Marks as Hurricane Michael pushes the storm surge up the Wakulla and Saint Marks Rivers which come together here on October 10, 2018, in Saint Marks, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
23. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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The town of Saint Marks goes underwater as Hurricane Michael pushes the storm surge up the Wakulla and Saint Marks Rivers which come together here on October 10, 2018, in Saint Marks, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
24. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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Shields Marina starts taking water in the town of Saint Marks as Hurricane Michael pushes the storm surge up the Wakulla and Saint Marks Rivers which come together here on October 10, 2018, in Saint Marks, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
25. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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People try to get some rest at Lincoln High School as Hurricane Michael approaches on October 10, 2018, in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
26. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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The storm surge and waves from Hurricane Michael batter the beachfront homes on October 10, 2018, in the Florida Panhandle community of Shell Point Beach, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)
27. Florida’s Gulf Coast
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A car is seen in a parking lot while flooding begins as Hurricane Michael approaches on October 10, 2018, in Panama City, Florida. Hurricane Michael closed in on Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday as an ‘extremely dangerous’ category four storm packing powerful winds and a huge sea surge, US forecasters said. The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said the storm, which local forecasters are calling an ‘unprecedented’ weather event for the area, is expected to slam ashore later in the day with ‘life-threatening’ storm surges. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
28. Panama City, Florida
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A man eats breakfast as he and others seek safety in a shelter as Hurricane Michael approaches on October 10, 2018, in Panama City, Florida. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) photography,horizontal,usa,adult,safety,men,food and drink,gulf coast states,breakfast,sea,large,weather,environment,wind,panama city beach,storm,approaching,cyclone,packing,florida – us state
29. Category 4 storm, and counting
30. Florida’s Panhandle
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Neko Blaine holds Alaina Blaine, 4, as they sit in the lobby of the Hilton Gardens Inn after leaving their home for a safer place as the outer bands of hurricane Michael arrive on October 10, 2018, in Panama City, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
31. Orange Beach/Gulf Shores
32. Apalachicola, Florida
33. Florida’s Panhandle Region
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Waves crash along a pier as the outer bands of hurricane Michael arrive on Oct. 10, 2018, in Panama City Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
34. Rock Landing, Florida (near Panacea)
35. Florida’s Panhandle
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Cameron Sadowski walks along where waves are crashing onto the beach as the outer bands of hurricane Michael arrive on October 10, 2018, in Panama City Beach, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
36. Florida’s Panhandle
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A few cars drive along a bridge as the outer bands of hurricane Michael arrive on October 10, 2018, in Panama City, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
37. Panama City Beach
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Workers board the windows of Marco’s Pizza as Hurricane Michael approaches October 9, 2018, in Panama City Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP) (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
