Topline
Around 2.5 million people across Florida have either been ordered or advised to evacuate their residences, while more than 31,000 homes faced power outages early on Wednesday, as the state braces for Hurricane Ian which is expected to make landfall later in the day.
Workers board up the windows of a 7-Eleven convenience store in the Ybor City district in … [+]
Key Facts
During a late-night press conference on Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron Desantis urged people residing in the evacuation zones to “evacuate now” ahead of bridge closures in the areas.
More than 31,000 households across Florida were without power early on Wednesday, according to PowerOutage.us, a number that is expected to rise sharply once the hurricane makes landfall.
As of 2 a.m. E.T., Ian remained a Category 3 Hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 120 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm is expected to pick up strength—potentially becoming a category 4 hurricane—before making landfall near Port Charlotte on Wednesday afternoon.
Some coastal regions of Florida are expected to face life threatening storm surges as much as 12 feet high while other regions of the state remain at risk of flash flooding, the National Hurricane Center’s report added.
People in the Florida Keys already felt the effect of the hurricane as it passed through the west of the island chain with some residents of Key West reporting flooding.
Key Background
Hurricane Ian passed through the western part of Cuba on Tuesday causing massive destruction and claiming at least two lives. The storm caused a total blackout across the entirety of the island nation and authorities were still working to restore power early on Wednesday. In his press conference, DeSantis also warned that “millions” in Florida are likely to face power outages. The Florida government has readied 30,000 utility workers to restore power once the storm has passed but despite this, Florida Light and Power said outages in some areas could last for “several days.”
Further Reading
Hurricane Ian Evacuation Orders Grow: Tampa, St. Petersburg And Fort Myers Areas Targeted (Forbes)
In Photos: Hurricane Ian Slams Cuba And Barrels Toward Florida—Here’s A Look At The Damage (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/09/28/hurricane-ian-25-million-ordered-to-evacuate-and-thousands-without-power-as-florida-braces-for-storm/