Hurricane Irma is closing in on Florida, with southern parts of the state already being lashed with winds of up to 120 miles per hour.

More than 170-thousand homes and businesses are without power - and the centre of the storm is still a few hours away.

More than six million people have been warned to leave their homes, and a state of emergency has been declared in Miami beach.

Florida Governor Rick Scott is urging people to protect themselves:

Some residents are defiantly staying put.

Ryan Ray - who lives in Miami - has decided to stay with a work colleague, further inland.

He says luckily, the house is hurricane-proof: