Saint Petersburg, Florida, prepares as first winds of Hurricane Ian arrive on Wednesday.Photo: Gerardo Mora/Getty
As Florida prepares forHurricane Ianto hit the state early Wednesday afternoon, it is dangerously close to making landfall as a Category 5 storm.
In an address on Wednesday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the approaching storm had strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane “withmaximum sustained winds of up to 155 mph,” which is just two miles shy of a highest designation.
“We expect landfall in south west Florida later today as a major hurricane [that] will slowly move across the central Florida peninsula before exiting the northeast Florida coast probably sometime on Thursday,” the governor continued.
DeSantis warned that “a storm of this magnitude will produce catastrophic flooding and life-threatening” storm surges.
“This is going to be one of those historic storms. And it’s going to really shape the communities in southwest Florida and have a profound impact on our state. We just ask people for their thoughts and their prayers,” he said,according to CNN.
The National Hurricane Center says thatsurges of up to 18 feet have been forecastedalong the southeast coast of the state.
“You’re not going to survive if you’re in an area that’s going to have 16 feet of inundation,” Michael Brennan, acting deputy director of NOAA, toldCNNon Wednesday.
News crews in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday.Steve Helber/AP/Shutterstock
Florida officials said the worst devastation is expected fromCollier County up to Sarasota County, and that landfall is expected in Charlotte County. The time for evacuation in those areas has now passed, they warned.
“If you are in any of those counties, it is no longer possible to safely evacuate,” DeSantis said on Wednesday morning. “It’s time to hunker down and prepare for this storm.”
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DeSantis went on to warn Floridians to take the approaching hurricane seriously.
“This is a major, major storm. If you’re out on the roads, get to a safe place as soon as possible,” he said, before urging caution when leaving the home. “Don’t go outside in the eye of the storm … even if it seems calm, wait to make sure the storm has actually passed.”
After the storm is over, DeSantis said people still need to be cautious of their surroundings.
“Avoiddowned power lines. Avoid standing water. Stay clear of damaged trees. If you are using a generator for power, make sure that it is being operated outside your home,” he continued, pointing out that it’s also important not to drive in flooded streets.
Although parts of southern Florida are already beginning to feel the effects of the storm, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said it’s just a preview.
Final preparations in Tampa ahead of Hurricane Ian’s arrival.Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty
“We just trying to ensure that everybody in the Tampa Bay area doesn’t stand down,” Castor told CNN on Wednesday. “We haven’t even begun to feel the wrath of Hurricane Ian.”
As of Wednesday morning, there are already over 160,000 customers without power in Florida, according toPowerOutage.us.
source: people.com
