Hurricane Idalia and the Department of Health: State of Emergency Preparedness and the DeSantis Deputation of the Florida National Guard
Idalia will make it’s way through the Gulf of Mexico, and then make it’s way to Florida, which will be its final destination.
Forecasters said parts of Cuba could see as many as 4 to 6 feet of storm surge and between 4 and 10 inches of rain, which could produce flash flooding and landslides.
The state’s Department of Health was working to make certain residents could fill their prescriptions early because of the number of school districts closing on Tuesday.
More than a third of Florida counties are under mandatory or voluntary evacuations, and the state has resources in place to restore power and conduct rescue operations in the event of an emergency. DeSantis has also deployed 5,500 members of the National Guard.
“All the barrier islands, places that are low-lying along the coast, you are going to be told to evacuate,” DeSantis said, adding that that could mean relocating as few as tens of miles inland.
The White House said that Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida and that President Biden spoke to DeSantis about storm preparations.
“This is gonna be a major hurricane. This is gonna be a powerful hurricane, and this is absolutely gonna impact the state of Florida in many, many different ways,” DeSantis said during a Monday morning press conference.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has put 46 counties under a state of emergency and announced a raft of other storm preparedness measures, including the mobilization of 1,100 Florida National Guard personnel.
Florida Deputy Governor Kevin Guthrie urged residents of the Gulf Coast to prepare for Idalia, a possible mega-tornado
Storm surge, which occurs when a storm’s winds push seawater above normal levels, is a main concern with Idalia. Tampa Bay could see 4 7 to seven feet of storm surge from Idalia, according to forecasters.
“The risk continues to increase for life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds along portions of the west coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle beginning as early as late Tuesday,” the National Weather Service said in a tweet.
Florida officials want residents along the Gulf Coast to get ready for Idalia before it hits the state.
As much as a foot of rainfall is also expected near where the storm comes ashore in Florida, with lower rainfall totals predicted for other parts of the state, as well as Georgia and the Carolinas. Tornadoes in those states are also possible.
There is a chance of structural damage to buildings and even the complete destruction of mobile homes if there are life-threatening winds, the National Weather Service said.
Forecasters expect the eye of Idalia to chart a course toward Florida’s Big Bend, the region where the peninsula meets the panhandle. The Apalachee Bay has not been affected by a major hurricanes in over a century.
“You still have time to make your final preparations if you are in one of the areas where you’re told to evacuate, and we have time this morning to do that,” the governor said at the Tuesday morning press conference.
To make sure children have something to eat, Kevin Guthrie urged people who are forced to leave their pets behind to bringcomfort items such as toys or snacks.