US: Millions are urged to evacuate as Hurricane Ian approaches Florida; airports to close
As powerful Hurricane Ian approaches US’s Florida, emergency measures have been activated and citizens are being urged to leave vulnerable regions
As powerful Hurricane Ian approaches US’s Florida, emergency measures have been activated and citizens are being urged to leave vulnerable regions. Since Ian rapidly grew into a major hurricane on Tuesday, September 27, nearly 2.5 million people in Florida are presently under some sort of evacuation order. Furthermore, evacuation orders have been issued in a number of counties along Florida’s west coast.
Though the precise location of Ian’s landfall is still unknown, current projections indicate that it may strike the Sarasota region on Wednesday, NPR reported. Through Thursday, Ian is predicted to deliver 4 to 8 inches of rainfall to the remainder of the peninsula, 6 to 12 inches of precipitation to central-west Florida, and 4 to 6 inches of rain to the Keys.
The National Hurricane Center stated in a Tuesday morning advisory that Ian is still a “major” Category 3 storm despite having somewhat lessened after crossing over Cuba. It is anticipated to make landfall on Florida’s west coast on Wednesday, bringing a deadly storm surge, torrential rainfall, and winds that will reach 130 mph at its peak. As it approaches Florida in the late afternoon, Hurricane Ian may intensify into a Category 4 hurricane, NBC News reported.
Besides this, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated during a press conference on Tuesday, “There’s still uncertainty with where that exact landfall will be. But just understand, the impacts are going to be far, far broader than just where the eye of the storm happens to make landfall in some areas,” Fox Weather reported. He further added, “There will be catastrophic flooding and life-threatening storm surge.”
Airports are set to close after the hurricane warnings
Ahead of the anticipated wind, rainfall, and storm surge from Hurricane Ian, a large portion of Florida’s Gulf Coast, South Florida, and Central Florida are under hurricane warnings. These areas include Tampa, Venice and Fort Myers, Naples, and Orlando. Given Florida’s distinctive coastline, the state is particularly vulnerable to storm-surge floods during hurricanes, Fox Weather reported.
Following the hurricane warnings, St. Pete International Airport would close at 1 pm (local time) on Tuesday and Tampa International Airport would shut down at 5 pm (local time) on the same day. This would enable the airports to safeguard the aircraft and the supporting infrastructure. The Orlando International Airport is scheduled to close on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. (local time)
As per the National Hurricane Center, the hurricane came ashore in Cuba at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday (local time) just southwest of La Coloma in the western province of Pinar del Ro with a maximum sustained wind speed of 125 mph, NBC News reported. According to the country’s electrical provider, the whole island was without power for hours after Ian made landfall in Cuba due to infrastructural damage. Crews have been trying to restore electricity, which would begin to come back sometime on Wednesday night. Further, Twitter users shared pictures and videos of the severity of the hurricane.
