More than two million residents are under evacuation orders and on Tuesday officials began moving residents in more than 90 nursing homes to safe areas. The storm has already left devastation in it’s wake, including knocking out power to the entire island of Cuba. At least 10,000 are without power in the Florida Keys.
As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, the hurricane was located some 80 miles southwest of Charlotte County and was “knocking on the door” of being a Category 5 storm, DeSantis said. Ian has the potential to be one of the most powerful storms in U.S. history.
With the storm bearing down on Florida, DeSantis and other officials say they are preparing for extensive efforts to restore power after Ian strikes. The state is also gearing up for search and rescue operations that could arise due to flooding. More than 5,000 national guard troops are activated and 30,000 utility workers are on standby to help get power back to residents. DeSantis said 26 states are providing assistance.
“This is a major, major storm,” he said. “It will have major, major impacts.”
The National Hurricane Center warned Wednesday that Hurricane Ian is triggering “destructive” waves off Florida’s coast clearing between 12 and 16 feet above ground level from Englewood to Bonita Beach. NHS is predicting “widespread, life-threatening and catastrophic” flooding throughout central Florida and “considerable” flooding elsewhere in the state.
“Preparations to protect life and property should be urgently rushed to completion,” the NHC said Wednesday morning.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, speaking on MSNBC on Wednesday, also warned residents in evacuation areas to stay in place if they haven’t left their homes. Criswell emphasized that they have “moved the right personnel and the right resources in place to make sure that we can respond immediately, especially for those life-saving efforts.”
Criswell said later on CNN that there is a “robust search and rescue capability” stationed in Miami featuring members from the Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal and state officials.
DeSantis and President Joe Biden regularly trade barbs over a host of issues, including immigration and Covid mandates, but appear to be working together during this natural disaster. Biden on Tuesday night spoke with DeSantis and both men are “committed to continued close coordination,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted.
The state should also expect tornado warnings, which have already been felt in south Florida.
In Tampa, Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Barbara Tripp described the feeling Wednesday morning as a calm before Ian’s arrival.
First responders in Tampa are ready and willing to aid agencies in other areas depending on where the storm strikes, Tripp said.
“Even with the shift of the hurricane, we are not letting our guard down,” Tripp said on CBS.
DeSantis said Wednesday that while not everyone followed evacuation orders, most people heeded the warnings and are taking the threat seriously.
“There’s gonna be a lot of fallout from this in terms of getting people back on their feet,” DeSantis said. “Right now, it’s about safety.”