Parts of the Florida Keys, the low-lying islands which bore the brunt of Hurricane Irma when the category-four storm struck on Sunday, have reopened.

Entry is being restricted to residents and business owners as work continues to clear roads and check the state of bridges linking the islands.

Nearly 6.9 million homes were without power in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama.

Irma, which has since rapidly weakened, is being linked to 11 deaths in the US.

Why was Florida spared worst of Irma?

Europe steps up response to Irma

Seven people died in Florida, three in Georgia and one in South Carolina, according to US media.

The storm also left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean, where nearly 40 people were killed.

INTERACTIVE See how Road Town, Tortola has been damaged by Hurricane Irma 9 Sep 2017 31 Mar 2015

INTERACTIVE See how Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, has been damaged by Hurricane Irma 10 Sep 2017 1 Jan 2016

French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in the region and is to visit devastated French islands, while UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is heading to the British Virgin Islands.

Both France and Britain have been criticised for not doing enough to help their nationals in overseas territories affected by the hurricane.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander spent Monday night on the Dutch side of St Martin, an island shared between France and the Netherlands.

He told the NOS public newscaster: “I have seen proper war as well as natural disasters before, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”