Photos: what Hurricane Irma’s destruction in the Caribbean looks like on the ground

We had no sooner taken stock of the extraordinary damage wrought by Hurricane Harvey in Texas than another uniquely fierce and record-breaking hurricane began heading straight toward the Caribbean and the southeast US.

We’ve been tracking the damage from Hurricane Irma since Thursday, and the images coming out of region reveal that the storm’s impact on several Caribbean islands — including St. Martin/St. Maarten, Barbuda, Anguilla, the US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, and parts of Cuba — was severe. "I think it's going to take a long time for Barbuda to get back on its foot,” one Barbudan who evacuated to Antigua told CNN. “Everything is completely destroyed."

More than 36 people in the region have been reported dead from the storm, and emergency responders are expecting the recovery to take years. On Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron visited St. Martin as part of a trip to offer support and relief supplies to French territories in the Caribbean impacted by the storm. The US Coast Guard and various humanitarian groups are also on the ground in the response effort. But food and water shortages were being reported in many of the affected islands on Wednesday.

Irma’s winds, which peaked at 185 mph, tore through human settlements and toppled trees, while its rain and storm surge have flooded homes and streets. Here are some of the most telling images from the ground we’ve seen so far from Irma’s path.

September 12

Cuba

Havana

Ciego de Ávila Province

Cuban students help clean the house of an elderly woman in Havana.

Workers try to repair the electricity and telephone service in Havana.

Ciego de Ávila Province

Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands

A boy stands beside a makeshift message board.

Cruz Bay

Cruz Bay

Cruz Bay

Cruz Bay

Saint Martin

Saint Martin

France's President Emmanuel Macron greets residents of Saint Martin.

Saint Martin

President Macron speaks to a young girl from Grande Case.

Geminga shipyard of Marigot

Civilians evacuating Saint Martin the day of President Macron’s visit.

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September 11

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Providenciales

Cuba

Isabela de Sagua

Isabela de Sagua

Isabela de Sagua

Isabela de Sagua

Isabela de Sagua

Isabela de Sagua

Isabela de Sagua

Havana

Havana

Havana

Havana

Havana

Saint Martin

Cold Bay community

Delaney Kertzious carries clothes she salvaged  from her house in the Cold Bay community.

Phillipsburg

Cold Bay community

U.S. citizens wait in line to evacuate Phillipsburg.

Grand Case Bay

Grand Case Bay

Grand Case Bay

Grand Case Bay

Grand Case Bay

Dutch king Willem-Alexander (second from right) and Minister of Internal Affairs Ronald Plasterk (second from left) visit Filipsburg, Saint Martin.

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September 10

Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie

Charlotte Amalie

Cuba

Havana

Havana

Havana

Havana

Florida

Miami Beach

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September 9

Cuba

Havana

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September 8

Barbuda

Codrington

Codrington

Codrington

Codrington

Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

Leverick Bay

Leverick Bay

Gun Creek

Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Jalon Manson Shortte via AP

Jalon Manson Shortte via AP

Jalon Manson Shortte via AP

Jalon Manson Shortte via AP

Saint Martin

Margot

Fort Louis Marina, Marigot

Fort Louis Marina, Marigot

Anguilla

British Royal Navy arrives on Sandy Bay village.

Royal Logistics Corps conducts reconnaissance of hurricane damage.

Haiti

Fort-Liberté

Fort-Liberté

Malfetti, Fort-Liberté

Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images

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September 7

St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

U.S. Post Office

Ian Brown/AP

Ian Brown/AP

Charlotte Amalie

Barbuda

Anika E. Kentish/AP

Anika E. Kentish/AP

Saint Martin

Gerben Van Es/Dutch Defense Ministry via AP

Orient Bay

Orient Bay

Orient Bay

Lionel Chamoiseau/AFP/Getty Images

Concordia, Marigot

Dominican Republic

Nagua

Nagua

Nagua

Haiti

Cap-Haïtien

Cap-Haïtien

Cap-Haïtien

Dominican Republic

Samana

Samana

Samana

Saint Martin

Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle

Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle

Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle

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September 6

Saint Martin

Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle

Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle

Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle

Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle

Gerben Van Es/Dutch Defense Ministry via AP

Philipsburg

Philipsburg

Philipsburg

Philipsburg

Hotel Mercure in Marigot, near the Bay of Nettle

Puerto Rico

Luquillo Beach

Fajardo

Fajardo

Fajardo