Hurricane Idalia, an extremely dangerous Category 3 storm, hit Florida’s Big Bend region with powerful winds and heavy rains after gaining strength from warm Gulf of Mexico waters. Coastal flooding up to 16 feet was expected due to storm surges. Governor Ron DeSantis urged caution and emphasized the storm’s severity. Idalia initially reached Category 4 status but weakened to Category 3 with sustained winds of 125 mph before landfall. Millions of residents evacuated or sought shelter, and widespread power outages affected over a quarter million customers in Florida.
Source – CGTN