Hurricane Michael moves into Atlantic, leaves damage across 5 states

Hurricane Michael which ripped through the US southeast, leaving a trail of death and destruction from Florida to Virginia finally moved off the coast, over the Atlantic Ocean early yesterday.

Michael made landfall in the Florida Panhandle on Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane ‑ the strongest on record to hit the area ‑ wreaking havoc and causing emergencies.

In the storm's wake lay crushed and flooded buildings, shattered lives and at least 13 deaths, a number that officials worry could rise.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management tweeted "Virginia storm updates as of 12am this morning. 7 confirmed Michael‑related fatalities. 520,000 without power. 1200 closed roads. 5 suspected tornadoes."

Authorities in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina had previously linked at least six deaths to the storm, a toll officials have worried will continue to rise as search‑and‑rescue efforts continue.

[Source: stuff.co]