Toward the end of a hurricane-free summer for Florida, residents of the Sunlight State were reminded of the sensitive state of their state.
Storm Idalia strengthened overnight and was declared a hurricane on Tuesday.
It is now making its way to the west coast of Florida and will probably hit it as early as Wednesday morning local time with winds of about 200 mph. It will already have winds of about 130 kilometers per hour. It will move north and will likely affect several states until it weakens.
In light of the state of emergency, some places on the West Coast have been ordered to evacuate and empty shelves have already been seen in some supermarkets.
The National Weather Service advised residents to take the warnings seriously, saying conditions existed for a "historic and life-threatening rise in water levels" and the damage would be "catastrophic."
The U.S. Hurricane Center said the strong winds and changing air pressure conditions would create life-threatening conditions due to rising water levels, including flash flooding in urban areas.
Floridians prepare for Hurricane Idelia // Credit: Reuters
Beyond the declaration of the state of emergency, which received approval from the White House, thereby opening the faucet for assistance from federal authorities. DeSantis also activated the state National Guard.
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