Airports closed, people evacuated
According to Fema, around 300,000 households in Florida were initially without power as a result of the storm. Power outages are also expected in Georgia and South Carolina if the storm sweeps through those regions.
The airport in Tampa was temporarily closed on Tuesday. Classes were canceled at many Florida schools. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Wednesday afternoon that Tampa Airport should be reopened later in the day, as should other airports.
In a number of Florida districts, people had previously been asked to leave their homes and temporarily seek shelter with relatives, friends or hotels. The NHC rated Idalia as extremely dangerous. Severe storm surges could cause floods that are up to about 4.5 meters higher than normal.
