After making landfall as a Category 3 storm near Keaton Beach, Hurricane Idalia resulted in the deaths of two individuals due to weather-related car accidents.
The storm, which moved notably faster than previous hurricanes, left over 275,000 Florida residents without power and continued to wreak havoc across the state.
Early on Wednesday, August 30, amidst the hurricane’s intense rain and wind gusts, a 59-year-old man from Gainesville crashed his vehicle into a tree on State Road 20.
In a separate accident, a 40-year-old man in Pasco County lost control of his Ford Ranger on St. Joe Road and tragically died after striking a tree.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis provided an update, stating that while Hurricane Idalia had already left Florida, the repercussions of the storm were ongoing. Emphasizing the storm’s speed, he noted that its rapid movement might have lessened some flooding risks.
Idalia, which was previously classified as a Category 3 hurricane during its landfall, created a path of destruction with wind speeds over 125 mph and a storm surge that reached 16 ft. The strength of this storm surpassed any hurricane that touched down in the Big Bend region in over a century.
The National Hurricane Center warned that the aftermath of Idalia would continue, with “damaging hurricane-force winds” as the storm progressed toward Georgia and South Carolina. Flash floods and significant river flooding were experienced across these regions.
Mallie Critser, a Fort Myers Beach resident whose home was previously affected by Hurricane Ian, revealed that her recently established food pantry was impacted by Idalia. Expressing her concern over the new hurricane’s damage, she remarked, “It physically hurts me to watch it.”