As Hurricane Idalia, a category 3 storm, made landfall in northwest Florida on August 30th, residents of the region braced for catastrophic damage in the form of high winds and devastating surge flooding. With wind speeds of up to 200 kilometres per hour and storm surge that threatens to reach as high as 4.9 metres in some areas.
Governor Ron DeSantis has warned of “major impact” and urged immediate evacuation for the over 100,000 people who have already lost power in the region. and evacuation orders, either total or partial, have been issued for 46 of the 67 counties of Florida.
Officials from the National Weather Service are predicting that the hurricane will continue to move northeast, crossing through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, still at hurricane force at a speed of 15 miles per hour. Inferred warnings aside, National Weather Service is advising all residents to take extra precautionary measures including staying indoors during the storm and abstaining from driving through flooded areas or touching any fallen wires.
Governor DeSantis has already mobilized 1,100 National Guard members with 2,400 offshore vehicles and 12 aircraft in order to begin search and rescue operations and assessment of damages that could be incurred. Across the region, schools and university campuses have closed their doors at least until Thursday in anticipation of the worst.
The destruction doesn’t stop in Florida. Across the Caribbean, in Cuba, nearly half a million people have been left without electricity due to the storm’s devastating impact.
Last year, Hurricane Ian left 150 dead and whole communities in ruin. Northwest Florida has already endured much in the wake of natural disasters, and now, with Hurricane Idalia, all people can do is hope that the losses are minimized and that everyone affected by the storm will remain safe.
With information from El País and AP
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