FLORIDA: Hurricane Idalia is forecast to be an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm when it makes landfall early on Wednesday (US time), according to the updated advisory from the National Hurricane Centre.
Idalia is expected to inundate parts of Florida’s Big Bend region with a “catastrophic” storm surge between 12 to 16 feet — higher than an average city bus, the agency said. “There is the potential for destructive, life-threatening winds where the core of Idalia moves onshore in the Big Bend region,” the hurricane centre said.
In its advisory, the National Hurricane Centre said, “Catastrophic impacts from storm surge inundation of 12 to 16 feet above ground level and destructive waves are expected somewhere between the Wakulla/Jefferson County line and Yankeetown, Florida. Life-threatening storm surge inundation is likely elsewhere along portions of the Flor-ida Gulf Coast where a Storm Surge Warning is in effect. Residents in these areas should follow any advice given by local officials.”
The Centre also stated that the areas of flash, urban, and moderate river flooding, with locally considerable im-pacts, are expected across the Florida Big Bend, central Georgia and South Carolina, through eastern North Caroli-na into Thursday. The officials across Florida’s west coast repeatedly pleaded with residents on Tuesday to evacu-ate the place immediately as the highwater waves from the storm could prove deadly and the first responders would not be able to help until the storm passes.
“There is great potential for death and catastrophic devastation,” the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office warned on Tuesday, saying coastal residents were ordered to evacuate. “Storm surge on the coastal regions is projected as non-survivable.”
Looking at the intensity of the storm, various school across Florida have cancelled their classes as have 18 state colleges and six universities, including major institutions like the University of Florida in Gainesville and Florida State University in Tallahassee, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI)
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