'This storm will kill you if you don't get out the way': Largest evacuation in US history as 5.6 MILLION people are ordered to leave Florida as Irma is downgraded to Category 4

The largest evacuation in US history is under way with more than 5.6million people being told to leave their Florida homes before Hurricane Irma strikes.

The state's governor, Rick Scott, urged people who had not left yet to leave as soon as possible. He warned those who plan to stay that they may have to ride out the dangerous storm at their own risk.

He explained that the biggest concern with the powerful hurricane is the predicted storm surge that will come along with the lashing winds and heavy rains. 

The storm was downgraded to Category 4 yesterday before being pushed back up to Category 5 - but has again been relegated to Category 4 this morning by the National Hurricane Center.

Andrew Sussman, the state's hurricane program manager, said the total of those urged to flee Florida includes people throughout the southern half of the state as well as those living in inland Florida in substandard housing.

Florida is the nation's third-largest state with nearly 21million people, according to the U.S. Census. 

Universal Studios joined Disney World, SeaWorld and Legoland in closing as the megastorm heads north.

Meteorologists expect the powerful hurricane to hit the state tomorrow. The hurricane is currently raging off the northeastern coast of Cuba, with wind speeds of 160mph. The outer bands of the hurricane have already reached the U.S., with south Florida and the Keys experiencing increased rain and wind speeds.

Hurricane Irma made landfall in Camaguey archipelago, just off the northern coast of Cuba, around 11.10pm ET yesterday. This is the first Category 5 storm to hit the island since 1924.

'Obviously Hurricane Irma continues to be a threat that is going to devastate the United States,' Brock Long, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said at a press conference Friday morning. 'We're going to have a couple rough days.'

The storm was first downgraded from a Category 5 to a Category 4 earlier on Friday morning.

But on Friday night, it was again made a Category 5 storm before being relegated back to 4 early this morning.

Government officials along with the National Hurricane Center have cautioned that Irma is 'extremely dangerous' with maximum sustained winds of 155 mph. That's strong enough to bring down power poles, uproot trees and rip the roofs off of homes.

Apocalyptic scenes played out across the Sunshine State, as millions of people fled Hurricane Irma's wrath.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott advised for residents in the southern coastal evacuation areas to leave by midnight.

'If you are planning to leave and do not leave tonight, you will have to ride out this extremely dangerous storm at your own risk,' Scott said at a Friday press conference.

He also urged residents on the Gulf Coast to take evacuation orders seriously since Irma's path has moved slightly west.

'You are not going to survive this if it happens,' Scott said. 'Now is the time to evacuate.

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