Hurricane Idalia: People on the west coast of Florida called for evacuations

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»Idalia« foothills in Key West, Florida

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ROB O'NEAL/KEY WEST CITIZEN) / AP

Before the arrival of Hurricane Idalia, authorities in the US state of Florida urged people on the West Coast to seek safety from the hurricane. It is to be expected that "Idalia" will strengthen on its way across the unusually warm Gulf of Mexico to an "extremely dangerous hurricane" before it makes landfall on Wednesday, warned the U.S. hurricane center NHC.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called on residents of 23 counties to "immediately" respond to the request to evacuate. You don't have to drive hundreds of miles," he said, addressing coastal residents. You should seek shelter outside the danger zones in emergency shelters or hotels. "This is going to be a stronger hurricane, probably Category 3," DeSantis said. The governor temporarily suspended his election campaign for the US Republican presidential nomination.

U.S. authority: Heat wave reason for increasing strength

According to the NHC, a heat wave in the Gulf of Mexico with water temperatures of up to 31 degrees Celsius is causing "Idalia" to rapidly increase in strength on its way to Florida. Strong hurricanes usually have category 3 or higher on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale. According to the NHC, they can cause "devastating" and "catastrophic" damage.

"Idalia" had reached hurricane strength on Tuesday night on its way to Florida. Previously, it had reached the Caribbean state of Cuba as a tropical storm and caused flooding, especially in the capital Havana. According to authorities and state media, around 8000,<> residents in the western Cuban province of Pinar del Río were evacuated or fled the storm on their own. In addition to Pinar del Río, hurricane warnings were also issued for the province of Artemisa and the island of Isla de la Juventud.

Idalia is expected to make landfall on the northwest coast of Florida, an area that DeSantis says hasn't seen a stronger hurricane in a long time. According to the hurricane center, "Idalia" will then move to the northeast, heading for the Atlantic.

Civil protection prepares

The Tampa Bay metropolitan area, with its approximately 3.2 million inhabitants, is expected to be particularly hard hit by the storm, the NHC said. By Wednesday, parts of Florida and southern Georgia state could be affected by flash floods and flooding. From Wednesday to Thursday, there could be flooding in some areas of South Carolina. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency as a precautionary measure. Tampa's international airport in Florida has already been closed.

U.S. President Joe Biden agreed in a phone call with DeSantis on Monday to declare a state of emergency for Florida to facilitate relief efforts. According to the White House, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was preparing for relief efforts and the dispatch of personnel.

"Idalia" had formed on Sunday over the Caribbean as a tropical storm. Tropical storms and hurricanes hit the coasts of Mexico, the USA or the Caribbean states every year, and according to experts, they are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change.

In 2022, Cuba and Florida were hit by Hurricane Ian. In Florida alone, almost 150 people died at that time. In addition, the storm caused enormous property damage amounting to more than 100 billion dollars (92.5 billion euros).

Atb/