2023-08-29 17:40:00
Florida authorities have ordered evacuations and mobilized the National Guard ahead of the approaching hurricane Idalia. Governor DeSantis had previously declared a state of emergency for parts of the state.
Before the arrival of Hurricane “Idalia”, the authorities in the US state of Florida urged people on the west coast to get to safety from the hurricane. It is to be expected that “Idalia” will intensify as it makes its way across the unusually warm Gulf of Mexico into an “extremely dangerous hurricane” before it makes landfall on Wednesday, the US hurricane center NHC warned.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called on residents in 23 counties to “immediately” respond to evacuation orders. “You don’t have to drive hundreds of miles,” he said, addressing coastal residents. They should take shelter outside of the danger zones in emergency shelters or hotels.
“This is going to be a major hurricane, probably a category three,” DeSantis said. “Idalia” had already reached hurricane strength during the night on its way towards Florida.
state of emergency declared
DeSantis had previously declared a state of emergency for 46 districts as a precaution. In addition, 1,100 members of the National Guard have been mobilized, equipped with amphibious vehicles and aircraft for rescue and recovery operations.
US President Joe Biden approved the state of emergency in a phone call to DeSantis on Monday. According to the White House, the US Civil Protection Agency (Fema) is preparing for relief efforts and the dispatch of employees.
“Idalia” will make landfall on the northwest coast
Idalia is expected to make landfall on Florida’s northwest coast — an area that DeSantis said has not seen a major hurricane in a long time. The Tampa Bay metropolitan area, with a population of around 3.2 million, is expected to be particularly hard hit by the storm, the NHC said. Tampa International Airport has already closed.
flash floods and floods
Flash flooding and flooding might affect parts of Florida and southern Georgia by Wednesday. Flooding may occur in some areas of South Carolina Wednesday through Thursday.
According to the NHC, a heat wave in the Gulf of Mexico with water temperatures of up to 31 degrees Celsius is causing “Idalia” to rapidly increase in strength on its way to Florida. Major hurricanes are typically Category 3 or higher on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale. According to the NHC, they can cause “devastating” and “catastrophic” damage.
Floods in Cuba
It had previously reached the Caribbean state of Cuba as a tropical storm, causing flooding in the capital, Havana in particular. According to authorities and state media, around 8,000 residents were brought to safety in the western Cuban province of Pinar del Río.
Tropical storms and hurricanes hit the coasts of Mexico, the USA and the Caribbean countries every year. According to experts, climate change will make them more frequent and more severe.
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