Hurricane Michael crashes into Florida Panhandle

An extremely powerful Hurricane Michael crashed into Florida’s northwestern Panhandle coast on Wednesday, flooding towns and ripping up trees with 155-mile-per-hour (249 kph) winds and the potential for a devastating storm surge. Michael, which had caught many by surprise with its rapid intensification as it churned north over the Gulf of Mexico, was the most powerful recorded storm ever to hit the Panhandle.

It made landfall northwest of Mexico Beach, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson wind scale. (Reuters)

Photos: Aerial photos show the devastation left in the path of Hurricane Michael ?
Photos: Devastated by Hurricane Michael, Florida starts recovery ?

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