NASA images show how Hurricane Irma changed the Caribbean

The impact of Hurricane Irma on the Caribbean islands can’t be denied.

The world watched as the storm ripped through the area as a category five hurricane, leaving death and destruction in its wake.

On Monday, NASA released satellite images that showed the damage wasn’t only visible from the ground, but from space as well.

While you can notice slight changes in the shape of the islands’ beaches from erosion, the big differences come in the colours and it’s not because of photoshop.

Almost all the lush, green, tropical vegetation has been wiped off the islands, leaving a brown tinge of rubble behind.

“Lush green tropical vegetation can be ripped away by a storm’s strong winds, leaving the satellite with a view of more bare ground,” NASA revealed. “Also, salt spray whipped up by the hurricane can coat and desiccate leaves while they are still on the trees.”

Barbuda, Virgin Gorda, St. Thomas, St. John and Tortola are all nearly 100% brown, with minor exceptions in some western areas of the islands that were sheltered by hills.

Antigua is the one island in the provided images that looks to have escaped the storm fairly unscathed.

Not only has the ground changed colour, but the water surrounding the islands is a different shade of blue due to so much debris in the water.