Mandatory evacuation orders have been raised over at least 28 counties in Florida amid the onslaught of Hurricane Idalia.
Authorities also said that most of the state's 21 million residents have been under hurricane warnings.
Furthermore, many areas in the adjacent states of Georgia and South Carolina were also placed under other storm-related warnings and advisories.
Due to the weather event, more than 280,000 customers in Florida have no power supply as well as 50,000 others in Georgia.
Idalia weakening to tropical storm, threat still expected
Although Idalia has already weakened to a tropical storm, weather experts still warned that storm surge is expected along the southeastern coast of the United States, within the storm surge warning area.
Coastal flooding is also expected within the storm surge watch area in North Carolina. Residents living in these areas are advised to strictly follow instructions from local officials for their safety.
The National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center also said that tropical-storm-force winds could have an impact on the US southeastern coast through Thursday.
Moreover, areas of flash, urban, and moderate river floods, with considerable effects, are expected from east central Georgia through eastern South Carolina and eastern North Carolina into Thursday.
Meteorologists explained that a storm surge warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline in the indicated locations.
Idalia is expected to produce a swath of four to eight inches of rainfall with isolated maxima up to 10 inches from east-central Georgia through central to eastern South Carolina and eastern North Carolina into Thursday.
Meteorologists said that these rainfall amounts would lead to floods in most areas.
They added that the trailing moisture band from Idalia has the potential to produce additional rainfall amounts of one to 2 inches across the west coast of Florida.
So far, Idalia already made a powerful landfall on Florida's Gulf coast with torrential rains and 125mph winds before heading to Georgia and the Carolinas.
Assistance
Governor Ron DeSantis had said that Idalia will have a huge impact in the state as a major hurricane, noting that local authorities have been prepared for this.
"Florida has tens of thousands of utility workers staged for power restorations and search and rescue teams in place if rescue operations are needed," DeSantis said.
"The State Emergency Response Team stands ready to deploy search & rescue and power crews to impacted areas as soon as it is safe to do so," he added.
Hurricane Idalia will impact our state as a major hurricane and we are prepared.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 29, 2023
Florida has tens of thousands of utility workers staged for power restorations and search and rescue teams in place if rescue operations are needed.
He also noted that uility linemen are currently working to bring back power across the state following the bad weather, adding that they have already restored power to some of the households that lost electricity due to the storm.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden said residents in the Southeast should remain cautious and vigilant as Idalia makes its way through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Biden already directed Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell to assess the situation and provide assistance to Florida's government.
He also ordered the deployment of 1,500 personnel and 900 Coast Guard personnel throughout the south-eastern states.
Related Article: Florida In High Risk For Impacts As Idalia Seen To Develop Into Hurricane
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