Hurricane Ian makes landfall in FL, nearing Category 5 winds

Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida with winds of up to 150mph.
hurricane


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Floridians know the sight of rising sea levels and strong winds all too well. 

Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida Wednesday afternoon with winds of up to 150mph, just shy of Category 5 status, ripping through the region.

This is one of the strongest storms the state has seen, causing catastrophic damage and flooding to cities like Fort Meyers and Naples. Governor Ron DeSantis announced mandatory evacuation orders on Tuesday for coastal communities, mobile homes, and low-lying areas.

In a press conference Wednesday, DeSantis warned that the Category 4 hurricane could cause extensive damage to the Gulf Coast and widespread power outages, with full restoration efforts likely to take weeks. He also mentioned that FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has already agreed to reimburse 100 percent of recovery costs over the next 60 days.

A condensed clip from a live traffic cam on Sanibel Island showed how the hurricane quickly flooded part of the city in just 30 minutes. Flooding in much of Fort Meyers is already significantly worse than Hurricane Irma, which left intense damage five years ago.The scope of the storm is deadly as its path is expected to move northwest across Florida, through Orlando. In a tweet from Governor DeSantis, Florida is prepared to respond state-wide to the moving storm with linemen and national guards on the frontline.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone. This post contains references to products from one or more of our partners and we may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.

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