Hurricane Irma death toll up in Florida as recovery underway

MIAMI: The death toll in Florida from Hurricane Irma rose to 58 Tuesday as cleanup crews removed debris caused by the powerful storm that struck the state on September 10.

"There are 42 confirmed deaths attributable to Hurricane Irma," said Alberto Moscoso, spokesman from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM).

The number of fatalities, up from 42, however excludes eight people known to have died in Monroe County -- where the hard-hit Florida Keys are located -- and eight elderly residents of a nursing home just north of Miami.

He said that the county coroners must confirm the fatalities to the FDEM, something that Monroe has not completed because they are still engaged in a door-to-door check.

Irma struck the Florida Keys on Sunday as a major Category Four hurricane, a storm large and dangerous enough that six million Floridians evacuated their homes and fled to safety.

According to Moscoso´s detailed report, 10 people died of carbon monoxide poisoning, a common accident when using indoor fuel-operated electric generators.

Fourteen others died of different types of trauma, including car accidents; seven were drowned, and the rest died of various causes, including electrocution.

A criminal investigation has been opened in the case of the eight nursing home victims, who died in the stifling heat when the power went out.

The retirement home owners, the state government, and the Florida utility company all blame each other for the tragedy.

Some 204,000 customers across the state were still without power on Tuesday, down from 15 million at the height of the storm.