Hurricane Irma is currently on a path of major destruction towards multiple states in the South, and residents are bracing for potential damage from the storm, which experts are describing as unprecedented.
For comparison, Hurricane Andrew, which hit Miami back in 1992, caused $50 billion in damage, BuzzFeed News reports. A recent Swiss Re analysis determined that if Andrew were to hit Miami today, the result could be as much as $300 billion worth of damage.
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On the left, Hurricane Andrew (1992).
— Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) September 7, 2017
On the right, Hurricane Irma (today).
(images to scale) pic.twitter.com/JCdxuP0tqm
In a set of images shared on Twitter, the comparison between the two storms is drastic, with Irma appearing noticeably larger than Andrew as the storm hovers threateningly close to the Florida coast.
The Twitter post notes that the images are to scale, making Irma’s arrival all the more threatening as the storm looms closer, prompting many to evacuate or hunker down in safe areas.
Irma is currently heading towards Miami, and has the possibility of hitting the city, regaining strength at sea, and coming back to wallop Georgia and South Carolina. The storm is expected to make landfall Sunday morning.
Photo Credit: Twitter / @EricHolthaus
