DeSantis Urges Evacuations as Category 3 Isaias Nears Florida With 120 mph Winds
Updated
Updated · WEAR · Oct 9
DeSantis Urges Evacuations as Category 3 Isaias Nears Florida With 120 mph Winds
3 articles · Updated · WEAR · Oct 9
Summary
Florida urged residents in Panhandle and Big Bend evacuation zones to leave now as Hurricane Isaias strengthened to Category 3 and headed for landfall late Friday or early Saturday.
120 mph winds and dangerous storm surge drove the warning, with DeSantis saying flooding, tornadoes and outages could hit well beyond the eventual landfall point.
1,000 generators, 500,000 gallons of gasoline, 1 million gallons of diesel, millions of meals and more than 1 million bottles of water have been pre-positioned, alongside 16,000 lineworkers.
5,000 National Guard troops, more than 100 ambulances and nearly 400 State Guard personnel were mobilized, while tolls were suspended on three bridges to speed evacuation and response.
Residents were told to prepare 72 hours of supplies if sheltering in place, avoid flooded roads and use state sites for evacuation orders, shelters and pet-friendly locations.