Hurricane Idalia, classified as a category one cyclone on the Saffir-Simpson scale, has caused great havoc on its way through Florida. In total, it is estimated that two people have died and more than 270,000 people lost power.
Houses, cars and trees destroyed. This is the image left by the hurricane, with completely flooded areas. The winds reached 205 kilometers per hour, thus becoming the most powerful hurricane since 1898.
Now, cleanup and recovery efforts are underway along Florida’s Gulf Coast, where property damage, loss of life and power outages paled in comparison to the last major hurricane that struck.It hit the state almost a year ago.
Idalia made landfall Wednesday morning as a powerful Category 3 hurricane at Keaton Beach, in the Big Bend region of Florida, battering the coast with sustained winds of up to 125 miles per hour (201 kph), accompanied by torrential rains and strong waves.
The storm-driven surge of seawater rushed inland, inundating everything in its path. Authorities began working quickly to save residents who had been trapped in their homes.
In total, it is estimated that Florida property losses will reach $9.36 billionas reported by the investment bank UBS in a research note based on preliminary estimates.
The power outages Caused by downed trees, utility poles and power lines were widespread, as were flooded and wind-damaged buildings, in hard-hit communities like Perry.
As predicted, the worst part of the storm will be the Big Bend region of Florida, where the northern fringe of the state’s Gulf Coast curves into the western side of the Florida peninsula. The area is roughly bounded by the cities of Gainesville and Tallahassee, the state capital.
the same region, with a swampy shore lined with springs and freshwater rivers, was devastated by a major hurricane in 1896.
But Idalia’s severe impacts were not limited to the Big Bend. In Hillsborough County, an area of 1.5 million people to the south that includes Tampa, crews were grappling with widespread damage and flooded streets, officials have reported at a press conference.
The governor has explained that up to 565,000 public service customers all across the state had lost power at some point during and after the storm. By 9 p.m., power had been restored to nearly 175,000 people.
Source: Lasexta
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