International Desk: Hurricane Idalia, the strongest storm in the Gulf of Mexico, hit the coast of Florida. The cyclone hit on Wednesday with a category-3 form. Two drivers died. Idalia hit the Big Bend area of Marseille, Florida, around 8:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday. According to the local meteorological department, this was the strongest cyclone in the last 125 years.
According to the US National Hurricane Center, the terrible storm hit at a speed of 215 kilometers per hour. As a result of this, massive flooding has occurred in the area. Earlier warnings said that sea tides could rise to 16 feet. As a result, extensive damage is expected. A driver has died after losing control of his vehicle and crashing into a tree in Pasco County, north of Tampa, the Florida Highway Patrol said. Another driver has been reported dead. All seaports and airports in the area have been closed due to Idalia. Idalia left more than 265,000 people without power in northwest Florida.
According to Power Outages US, 12,000 people in Wakulla County are without power. In addition, 10,000 and 7,000 people in Taylor and Dixie counties are without power. 900 flights were canceled in the US due to Cyclone Idalia. Meanwhile, roads in Florida were flooded due to the impact of the storm. The river’s water is increasing at an increasing rate. According to the National Weather Service, water levels in nearby rivers in the town of Steinhatche rose from one to eight feet when Idalia hit. Governor DeSantis advised people in 23 Florida counties to go to shelters or hotels.
This 2024 presidential candidate said, “Such a cyclone has not been seen in more than a century. This could have a major impact on the region. Several local airports, including Tampa International Airport, were temporarily closed. Florida ports have also been shut down. A river in the town of Steinhatchee rose from 1 to 8 feet in an hour when Idalia hit Florida, the local office of the National Weather Service said. The company has shared this information on social media.
The White House said US President Joe Biden is tracking the storm. Additional emergency services personnel have been deployed for rescue operations. Authorities had earlier advised the evacuation of people in 21 counties. Police in Tampa, the state’s third-largest city, said they were assessing the damage and flooding caused by Idalia. Officials urged civilians not to drive through floodwaters. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Idalia’s center was moving toward southern Georgia. The winds are at 90 miles per hour and have weakened to a Category 1 hurricane. The storm is now about 15 miles south of Valdosta, Georgia. BBC, CNN, and Al Jazeera
