His grandfather sent him pictures of the flooding in West Palm Beach. Debris floats everywhere and trees have fallen down.

Ryan Blass, ’19, has family in Florida. He continues to contact family members to get updates on the damage caused by Hurricane Irma.

Blass’ grandfather was helping people evacuate. “Everything is flooded,” Blass said. “Their home is fine, but the water is still an issue.”

Hurricane Irma is the strongest hurricane recorded in the Atlantic basin, reported the National Hurricane Center.

Businesses have closed down, homes were destroyed and streets were flooded in in the Caribbean and southeastern U.S.

Nine deaths in the Florida Keys have been recorded so far, reported the Miami Herald’s Gwen Filosa. The Caribbean islands saw the most damage, as the strongest winds were most likely to have passed through there.

With a 185 mph top speed and 650-mile diameter, the hurricane covered nearly 70,000 square miles. For perspective, the entire state of Florida covers about 65,000 square miles.

The cost of damage for the hurricane, including Caribbean nations, is estimated at $100 billion.

In comparison, Hurricane Harvey had an estimated maximum wind speed of 130 mph when it hit Texas earlier this month. The damage estimate was set at $190 billion.

It will take weeks for exact casualty numbers to be determined. So far, officials said that Hurricane Irma has killed at least 70 people, 33 of those from the U.S., and Hurricane Harvey killed at least another 82.

With people fleeing their homes and children out of school, it’s uncertain when cities will be up and running again.

“Obviously it’s a tragedy,” Blass said. “I wouldn’t even know what to do or where to begin fixing things. I’m planning on visiting my grandfather soon so I’m looking forward to that day.”