GAINESVILLE: Authorities have issued evacuation orders for residents along Florida’s west coast as Hurricane Idalia intensifies over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is predicted to become “extremely dangerous” before making landfall, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Hurricane Idalia, now categorized as a Category 1 hurricane, is currently swirling hundreds of miles off Florida’s southwest coast. It is concurrently bringing tropical storm conditions to western Cuba. The NHC said that Idalia, powered by the unusually warm Gulf waters at around 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit), will escalate into an “extremely dangerous major hurricane before landfall on Wednesday.”
Major hurricanes, which are usually Category 3 and higher on the Saffir-Simpson scale, can bring about “devastating” and “catastrophic” destruction, as noted by the NHC. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has issued urgent evacuation orders for those residing along the Gulf coast.
DeSantis stated, “This is going to be a major hurricane, likely a Category 3,” urging the residents of the 23 counties under evacuation orders to move swiftly to shelters or hotels outside the danger zones. He emphasized that people didn’t need to travel hundreds of miles but instead find safe havens within a reasonable distance.
Last Year Hurricane Damages
Last year, Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm, caused extensive damage on Florida’s west coast, leading to over $100 billion worth of losses and more than 100 fatalities. While Idalia is predicted to make landfall farther north along the coast, DeSantis emphasized that this area hasn’t experienced a major hurricane in a considerable span of time.
Georgia and South Carolina are also on storm watch as the system is expected to traverse northeast over Florida before heading out into the Atlantic. Flash floods and urban flooding are anticipated in parts of Florida and southern Georgia, with the potential for flooding in parts of South Carolina later.
