Hurricane Idalia Update: Florida Damage, Storm Surge Danger, Revealed

Hurricane Idalia finally made landfall in Florida and slammed the Sunshine State with 125 mph winds. The storm flooded several areas, and officials are warning that more dangers may be coming.

The storm is still very much powerful as trees get split or uprooted, ripping roofs off houses and hotels, and flooding roads while turning cars into boats. Heavy rain and powerful winds have battered the Big Bend area of Florida as power was cut.

"All hell broke loose," Big Bend resident Belond Thomas told the Associated Press. She stated that she fled her home with her family to a motel, thinking staying there would be safer. However, as Idalia's eye passed over the area, the winds were so strong that the hurricane ripped the building's roof off. Thomas' daughter was hit by debris when this happened, but she was reportedly uninjured.

"It was frightening," she said. "Things were just going so fast. ... Everything was spinning."

Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida at 7:45 AM ET near Keaton Beach as a Category 3 hurricane. When it hit, it had 125 mph (205 kph). The storm has since weakened to 70 mph (113 kph) by late Wednesday afternoon and is now a tropical storm, but still very powerful.

The death toll was not as big as Hurricane Ian last year, which left 149 people dead. Idalia actually hit a more lightly inhabited area, though it has still caused millions in property damage.

Hurricane Idalia, Now Tropical Storm Idalia, Hits Georgia

As the storm weakened, Idalia made landfall in Georgia and is heading toward Savannah, according to Reuters. The National Hurricane Center has now issued a warning for areas between Altamaha Sound, Georgia, and Edisto Beach, South Carolina.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp noted that Idalia will only pass through Georgia but will also be hitting South Carolina on Wednesday night. The storm, now downgraded into a Tropical Storm, was spotted headed northeast toward Charleston, South Carolina. It is also expected to hit North Carolina on Thursday.

For now, the NHC is saying that Idalia is expected to head towards the Atlantic Ocean, where it is expected to fizzle out. Before that, however, the NHC is warning that flash floods may happen in Georgia and the Carolinas.

Hurricane Idalia Causes 2 Car Crash Deaths in Florida

While it was still a hurricane battering Florida, Hurricane Idalia was also responsible for two separate car crashes that killed two men in the Sunshine State, according to Fox 35.

The first incident happened in Gainesville, Florida around early morning on Wednesday. The victim was a 59-year-old male resident who was driving a Toyota pickup truck in "extremely rainy conditions." His vehicle reportedly swerved and veered into a ditch before crashing into a tree.

Meanwhile, the second incident happened on St. Joe Road in Pasco County. A 40-year-old man from Spring Hill died while driving during "inclement weather" on his pickup truck. He was reportedly driving "too fast for conditions" and lost control. He lost control and hit a tree and soon died from his injuries.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Hurricane Idalia leaves trail of destruction as it passes through Florida - Guardian News