Hurricane Idalia unleashes fury on Florida and Georgia

August 31, 2023
A fallen tree lies atop the Mayo Cafe and a truck parked outside in Mayo, Florida.
A fallen tree lies atop the Mayo Cafe and a truck parked outside in Mayo, Florida.
Rescue workers with Tidewater Disaster Response wade through a tidal surge on SW 358 Highway while looking for people in need of help after the Steinhatchee River flooded in Steinhatchee, Florida.
Rescue workers with Tidewater Disaster Response wade through a tidal surge on SW 358 Highway while looking for people in need of help after the Steinhatchee River flooded in Steinhatchee, Florida.
Residents of Twin City Mobile Home Park, a manufactured home community in flood zone A, navigate through the neighbourhood in high waters in St Petersburg.
Residents of Twin City Mobile Home Park, a manufactured home community in flood zone A, navigate through the neighbourhood in high waters in St Petersburg.
Storm surge floods a home off Riverside Drive on the Steinhatchee River in  Florida. Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Wednesday in Florida as a Category 3 storm and unleashed devastation along a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast, submerging homes and vehicles, turning streets into rivers, unmooring small boats and downing power lines before sweeping into Georgia.
Storm surge floods a home off Riverside Drive on the Steinhatchee River in Florida. Hurricane Idalia made landfall on Wednesday in Florida as a Category 3 storm and unleashed devastation along a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast, submerging homes and vehicles, turning streets into rivers, unmooring small boats and downing power lines before sweeping into Georgia.
Daniel Dickert wades through water in front of his home, where the Steinhatchee River overflowed in Steinhatchee, Florida.
Daniel Dickert wades through water in front of his home, where the Steinhatchee River overflowed in Steinhatchee, Florida.
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PERRY, Florida (AP):

Hurricane Idalia made landfall yesterday in Florida as a Category 3 storm and unleashed devastation along a wide stretch of the Gulf Coast, submerging homes and vehicles, turning streets into rivers, unmooring small boats and downing power lines before sweeping into Georgia.

Almost 438,000 customers in Florida and Georgia lost power, while rushing water covered streets near the coast. As the eye moved inland, high winds shredded signs, sent sheet metal flying and snapped tall trees.

Idalia came ashore in the lightly populated Big Bend region, where the Florida Panhandle curves into the peninsula.

As of midday Wednesday, there were no confirmed storm deaths in Florida, although fatal traffic accidents in two counties may end up being storm-related, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said at a news conference.

A 59-year-old man driving a pickup truck in heavy rain veered off the road outside Gainesville. In Dade City, north of Tampa, a 40-year-old man lost control of his pickup and crashed into a tree, the authorities said.

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