Hurricane Irma In Orange County: Puppy Left To Die In Cage

ORLANDO, FL — Floodwaters began to pour into Orange County early Monday as Hurricane Irma passed through central Florida heading northwest. More than 120 homes were being evacuated early Monday in Orange County. Firefighters and the National Guard were going door-to-door and using boats to ferry families to safety. As of 7 a.m., the fire department said it made 125 rescues.

One of those rescues was particularly heartbreaking. Firefighters found a caged puppy that was abandoned by its owners. Rescuers said the puppy was nearly drowning when they found her.

In Orlando, 30 others had to be evacuated Sunday when a 60-foot sinkhole opened up under the Landmark at West Place Apartments apartment building, News 6 reported. No injuries were reported in either case. A second building underwent a partial evacuation. The residents are waiting out the storm in the apartment's clubhouse until it's safe to move to a shelter.

See Also: Up Close Views Of Powerful Irma

Curfews remained in place until 6 p.m. as authorities assessed damages and made rescues. In Orlando, evacuations were ordered in low-lying areas, and shelters opened to Orange County residents Saturday at 9 a.m. Click here to see a full list of shelters.

Irma was downgraded to a tropical storm Monday morning as it headed toward Florida's panhandle north into Georgia.

SEE ALSO:

• Hurricane Irma Live Updates: Now A Tropical Storm, Florida Panhandle And Georgia Get Hit
• Hurricane Irma Creature Feature: Yikes, Alligators; Swoon, Manatees

A member of the Orange County fire department plays with a puppy rescued from a flooded neighborhood in Orange County, Fla., Monday, Sept. 11, 2017. The National Guard and local firefighters evacuated homes by boat as Hurricane Irma bore down on the county overnight. Rescuers said residents left the puppy in a cage, and it was almost drowning when firefighters found it. (Claire Galofaro/Associated Press)