Hurricane Idalia makes landfall in Florida as category 3 storm

Hurricane Idalia hits Florida's Big Bend as Category 3 storm, strongest in over a century. President Biden to address nation.

Hurricane Idalia has made landfall in Florida, hitting land near Keaton Beach in Florida's Big Bend region as a Category 3 storm. With sustained winds of 125 mph and even stronger gusts, Idalia has become the strongest hurricane to hit the Big Bend area in over a century.

This image obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), shows Hurricane Idalia making landfall in Florida on August 30, 2023, at 12h01UTC. Idalia barreled into the northwest Florida coast as a powerful Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday morning, the US National Hurricane Center said. "Extremely dangerous Category 3 Hurricane #Idalia makes landfall in the Florida Big Bend," it posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, adding that Idalia was causing "catastrophic storm surge and damaging winds. (AFP)

This marks the third hurricane to affect Florida in the past 12 months, following Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and Hurricane Nicole in October 2022.

President Joe Biden is set to address the nation regarding Hurricane Idalia's impact. The President's focus will be on the coordinated response and recovery efforts.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is well-prepared with resources for immediate response. This includes various teams such as Urban Search & Rescue and Incident Management Assistance. FEMA's warehouses are stocked with essential supplies like food, water, blankets, and medical resources, ready for swift deployment.

As of early morning, Hurricane Idalia has left approximately 116,000 residents without power. The most significant outages are concentrated in the Big Bend region, particularly in Taylor County, Dixie County, and Levy County.

With its intensified strength, Hurricane Idalia has escalated to a Category 4 hurricane, boasting winds of 130 mph. Coastal areas are witnessing flooding as the storm approaches landfall. A major concern is the potential for damaging winds and a storm surge that could reach up to 16 feet along Florida's Gulf Coast.

The situation has prompted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to issue evacuation warnings, emphasizing the potential risks and urging residents to take precautions. The National Guard is prepared for rescue efforts, while FEMA is actively coordinating response measures.