Floridians urged to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Idalia

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Hurricane Idalia brought strong waves to the Florida Keys. Associated Press/Photo by Rob O'Neal/The Key West Citizen

Floridians urged to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Idalia

Officials in more than 20 counties on Tuesday urged residents to evacuate ahead of the powerful storm, as high winds were forecast for much of the state’s western and Gulf Coast regions. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis activated the National Guard, and federal emergency crews are on the ground to support rescue and cleanup operations.

How did the storm affect communities before landfall? Idalia on Monday lashed western Cuba with heavy rains as it moved northwest. Authorities on Tuesday canceled hundreds of flights from Tampa International Airport ahead of the storm, and several airlines issued travel advisories for areas in the storm’s path. Officials also warned of storms and floods in parts of Georgia and South Carolina.

Dig deeper: Read Leigh Jones’ report in WORLD Magazine about tallying the toll of Hurricane Ian.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.