By Ailya Khan
Staff Writer
Disaster struck in large areas of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina as Hurricane Idalia unleashed heavy rainfall, powerful winds and catastrophic flooding. Residents are left to deal with the devastating damage, including fallen trees, ripped off roofs and power outages, in most areas, according to AP News.
As a high-end Category 3 storm, Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach at 7:45 a.m. The hurricane raged through Florida’s Big Bend with winds at 125 mph and a six-foot storm surge, according to ABC News. The storm traveled through largely rural regions of inland Florida, which contains mostly undeveloped land and is relatively far from more populated communities.
Higher populated Floridian communities, however, were still touched by Idalia’s destruction. According to AP, rising water levels caused streets near the coast to be flooded with water. Boats, businesses, cars and homes were all submerged by water surging in from Deadmans Bay. Life-threatening winds broke through windows and blew the roofs off of many homes and buildings. Trees and Power lines fell in myriads.
Shortly after making landfall in Florida, the hurricane weakened to a tropical storm by Wednesday evening, but surged with mighty downfalls through Georgia and South Carolina. In South Carolina, unusually high tides and heavy rainfall caused flooding in “Charleston and almost every beach community,” according to ABC.
By Wednesday night, the water level at Charleston Harbor reached more than nine feet, and according to the National Weather Service, makes it the highest water level ever recorded. Police are warning residents to avoid flooded roads immediately, as falling trees along with high water levels present an extreme threat to life.
Authorities reported there to be a few hurricane related deaths. Florida officials report one in the Gainesville area but no other details were released. One man in Valdosta, Georgia was killed by a tree falling on him as he attempted to clear another tree out of the roadway, according to AP.
Residents of affected areas are struggling to navigate life through the aftermath of Idalia. Communities that once consisted of homes, life and culture are now covered in piles of rubble and demolished buildings. Many roads are still flooded, making it dangerous to travel. More than 300,000 customers have been left without power, and several electrical companies have warned this may continue for up to two more weeks.
Rescue efforts have been executed in full speed across the affected areas, primarily in Florida. Boats with rescue personnel scavenged deeply flooded areas, hoping to collect as many survivors as possible, according to CNN. AP News reports that more than 30,000 utility workers have been rapidly trying to make repairs as well.
President Joe Biden was quick to contact the governors of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina and pledge his administration’s full support during this current crisis, according to AP. Biden and the First Lady also recently visited Florida to see an aerial tour of the hurricane damage and provide support to survivors. He also met with local officials, including Sen. Rick Scott, as well as first responders in order to discuss recovery efforts, according to NBC.
Biden has provided the states with assurance that he will approve any requests for federal recovery resources. He also plans to urge Congress to make recovery funding immediately available and at hand for future disasters.
