PERRY, Fla. – Idalia, a powerful hurricane that wreaked havoc across Florida, has now been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone and is moving out to sea. The storm caused one death in Alachua County, located in the north-central part of the state. President Joe Biden has announced that he will be visiting Florida over the weekend to assess the damage, but it is uncertain if he will meet with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is running for the Republican nomination for the presidency.
As of late afternoon, Idalia’s center was about 165 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The storm still had sustained winds of 65 mph and was expected to continue moving into the Atlantic. It is forecasted to impact Bermuda over the weekend.
Cleanup efforts are underway in Florida, where Idalia made landfall on Wednesday in Taylor County. The Category 3 hurricane, with winds of 125 mph, caused significant damage to homes and vehicles in the area.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reported that at least 40 successful rescues took place, with most of them carried out by the National Guard. Tens of thousands of linemen are working to restore power in the region. DeSantis plans to visit the affected areas later in the day.
Although Idalia is gradually weakening, it still poses a threat. Tropical storm warnings and storm surge watches are in effect along the coastal areas of North Carolina. Governor Roy Cooper has declared a statewide state of emergency in preparation for the storm.
In South Carolina, heavy rains, strong winds, and high tides caused flooding in Charleston. Georgia also experienced significant damage, particularly in Valdosta and Lowndes County, where many roads are impassable due to flooding, debris, and power lines.
In Crystal River, Florida, a couple’s vacation home was filled with 2 feet of floodwater and debris. They plan to demolish the house and rebuild it on stilts. Unfortunately, they no longer have flood insurance, as their policy was dropped by their carrier in April.
In Cross City, Florida, a couple narrowly escaped death when a tree fell on their car. They had moved their vehicles to the yard, thinking they were safe. The tree crushed one of the cars, but they managed to escape unharmed.
South Carolina also experienced the wrath of Idalia, with a tornado briefly touching down in Goose Creek and injuring two people. Coastal areas reported ocean water overflowing onto streets and beaches.
Citrus County in Florida saw significant flooding, reminiscent of the historic “Storm of the Century” in 1993. First responders rescued 76 people in the aftermath of Idalia, but there were no reported injuries in the county.
Even the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee was not spared. A century-old oak tree split in the front yard, narrowly missing the governor and his family. Thankfully, no one was injured.
As the cleanup and recovery efforts continue, the affected communities are showing resilience and determination to rebuild. The federal government has pledged assistance, and local officials are working tirelessly to ensure that people get the help they need.deaths or serious injuries in the county.
“We were very fortunate,” Stevens said. “We had a lot of flooding, but we were able to get to people quickly and safely evacuate them.”
Citrus County experienced widespread flooding, with many roads and neighborhoods submerged in water. Emergency crews used boats and high-water vehicles to rescue residents trapped in their homes.
“We had to navigate through streets that looked like rivers,” Stevens said. ”It was a challenging situation, but our first responders did an incredible job.”
Despite the destruction caused by Idalia, residents in Citrus County are grateful that the storm wasn’t as severe as initially feared.
“We dodged a bullet,” said Mary Johnson, a resident of Crystal River. “We were prepared for the worst, but thankfully it wasn’t as bad as we anticipated.”
Cleanup efforts are now underway in Citrus County, with crews working to remove debris and restore power to affected areas. Local officials are urging residents to be cautious as they return to their homes and assess the damage.
“We still have a long road ahead of us, but we will rebuild and recover,” Stevens said. “The resilience of our community is truly remarkable.”
As Idalia continues to move out to sea, residents along the East Coast are bracing for potential impacts. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and coastal flooding to parts of Georgia, the Carolinas, and Bermuda.
Authorities are urging residents in these areas to stay informed and follow any evacuation orders or safety precautions issued by local officials.
President Biden’s planned visit to Florida demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to supporting the recovery efforts. The president will assess the damage firsthand and meet with local officials to discuss the assistance needed.
It remains to be seen whether Governor DeSantis will meet with President Biden during his visit. The two politicians have had a contentious relationship, particularly regarding their differing approaches to handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
For now, the focus remains on the recovery and rebuilding process in Florida. Communities are coming together to support one another and ensure that those affected by Idalia receive the help they need.
“We will get through this together,” said Sheila Houston, a resident of Perry. “It’s going to take time, but we are strong and resilient. We’ve faced hurricanes before, and we will overcome this one too.”
How has the federal government pledged assistance to the communities affected by Hurricane Idalia
PERRY, Fla. – Idalia, a powerful hurricane that ravaged Florida, has been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone and is now moving out to sea. One death was reported in Alachua County, located in the north-central part of the state. President Joe Biden will be visiting Florida this weekend to assess the damage, although it remains uncertain if he will meet with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is running for the Republican nomination for the presidency.
The center of Idalia was located about 165 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, with sustained winds of 65 mph. The storm is expected to continue moving into the Atlantic and is forecasted to impact Bermuda over the weekend.
Cleanup efforts are underway in Florida, particularly in Taylor County where Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 125 mph. Homes and vehicles in the area suffered significant damage.
Governor Ron DeSantis reported that at least 40 successful rescues took place, with the majority carried out by the National Guard. Numerous linemen are working to restore power in the region, and DeSantis plans to visit the affected areas later in the day.
Although Idalia is weakening, it still poses a threat. Tropical storm warnings and storm surge watches are in effect along the coastal areas of North Carolina, and Governor Roy Cooper has declared a statewide state of emergency in preparation for the storm.
South Carolina and Georgia also experienced damage from Idalia. Flooding occurred in Charleston, while Valdosta and Lowndes County in Georgia faced impassable roads due to flooding, debris, and power lines.
In Crystal River, Florida, a couple’s vacation home was flooded with 2 feet of water and debris. They plan to rebuild the house on stilts after tearing it down, but they no longer have flood insurance. In Cross City, Florida, a couple narrowly escaped death when a tree fell on their car, despite thinking they were safe by moving their vehicles to the yard.
Idalia also produced a tornado in Goose Creek, South Carolina, injuring two people. Coastal areas experienced overflowing ocean water onto streets and beaches.
Citrus County in Florida faced significant flooding resembling the “Storm of the Century” in 1993. Seventy-six people were rescued, but there were no injuries in the county.
Even the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee was affected as a century-old oak tree split in the front yard, narrowly missing the governor and his family.
As the cleanup and recovery efforts continue, affected communities are determined to rebuild. The federal government has pledged assistance, and local officials are working tirelessly to ensure people receive the help they need. Despite the destruction caused by Idalia, residents are grateful for the swift response of first responders and remain resilient in the face of adversity.
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