Hurricane Idalia has triggered storm surges in the US state of Florida. More than 270,000 households are without electricity. On the way to the neighboring state of Georgia, “Idalia” was weakened to a tropical storm – but remains dangerous.
Hurricane “Idalia” lost strength after hitting the northwest coast of Florida and weakened on its way to neighboring Georgia to become a tropical storm. This was announced by the US National Hurricane Center.
Flooded houses, covered roofs
In the morning, “Idalia” made landfall in the sparsely populated Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of more than 201 kilometers per hour. The tropical cyclone wreaked havoc along large parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Heavy rains flooded homes and vehicles, roads turned into rivers, and storm gusts knocked down power poles and trees.
As the eye of the storm moved inland, high winds toffed roofs and threw street signs through the air. Nearly 438,000 people in Florida and Georgia were without power. On Wednesday afternoon (local time), the center of the storm was west of Savannah in the state of Georgia and then only reached wind speeds of 112 kilometers per hour.
No fatalities from “Idalia” were initially reported from Florida in the evening. But two fatal traffic accidents in two counties could be related to the storm, Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference.
Biden warns of ongoing danger
US President Joe Biden urged people in Florida and Georgia to remain vigilant in dealing with the storm. Although he has since lost strength, he is “still very dangerous,” Biden warned.
He spoke to the governors of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, whose states were affected by “Idalia”. Deanne Criswell, head of the federal agency for disaster relief, also informed Biden about the situation for the second time within a few days. The President instructed Criswell to get an idea of the situation on site together with DeSantis on Thursday in order to be able to better assess the damage and needs of the population.
Political differences played no role in his agreements with Republican DeSantis, said Democrat Biden. It’s about taking care of the people of Florida. DeSantis is running for the Republican presidential nomination.
Strongest storm in more than 100 years
The civil protection authority FEMA also urgently warned of major dangers after the storm. It is still far too early to assess the storm damage. In many areas it is still too dangerous to go out.
Power outages are also expected in Georgia and South Carolina as the storm sweeps through those regions. Criswell said Idalia was the strongest storm to make landfall in this part of Florida in more than 100 years. However, the authorities had prepared intensively for this.
Governor DeSantis: “Barricade yourself”
The NHC rated “Idalia” as “extremely dangerous”. Heavy storm surges could cause flooding up to about 4.5 meters higher than normal. DeSantis warned the population with urgent words. “Don’t risk your life by doing something stupid now,” he said at a press conference.
“This storm is powerful. Once inside, barricade yourself until it passes you.” Previously, people in several Florida counties had been asked to leave their homes and temporarily seek shelter with relatives, friends or hotels.
Jacksonville and Canaveral close ports
According to the authorities, the region around the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg, which is home to three million people, is particularly affected. Harbingers of “Idalia” brought the first floods in Fort Myers Beach south of Tampa and in Pinellas County early in the morning. Several streets were flooded there. All residents have been urged not to drive and to stay in safe shelters.
Flooding also occurred in the holiday towns of Madeira Beach and St. Pete Beach, and roads had to be closed. The ports of Jacksonville, Fernandina and Canaveral were closed to shipping. The airport in Tampa was temporarily closed on Tuesday, but should reopen later in the day (local time). Classes were canceled at many Florida schools.
hurricane center also feared tornadoes
According to the hurricane center, tornadoes are also to be expected in the wake of the hurricane. The center of the hurricane is expected to move inland, according to the NHC. Hurricane warnings are also in effect in the states of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Tropical cyclone season lasts from June to November in the Atlantic. They then hit the coasts of Mexico, the USA or the Caribbean countries. According to experts, however, climate change will make tropical storms more frequent and more violent.