US declares public health emergency in Florida due to Hurricane Idalia

SGGPO 08/31/2023 08:32

On August 30, the US government declared a public health emergency in the southern state of Florida due to the impact of Hurricane Idalia, and mobilized 68 emergency personnel there.

Earlier that day, Hurricane Idalia swept through the southern US state of Florida, causing heavy rain in many places, even turning many streets into rivers. According to the US National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Idalia with maximum wind speeds of 215 km/h caused heavy rain when it swept through the Big Bend area of Florida.

Hurricane Idalia was rated a particularly dangerous Category 3 storm and could cause waves as high as 5 meters in some coastal areas. Although the storm later weakened to a tropical storm as it moved inland through Georgia, US officials still warned people to be cautious.

Hurricane Idalia not only caused flooding in Florida, but also left more than 370,000 people in Florida and Georgia without power. More than 1,000 flights across the United States were canceled while 2,000 others were delayed due to the storm.

About 5,500 National Guard members have been mobilized to participate in rescue operations, while 30,000 to 40,000 power company employees have also been asked to be ready to respond to emergencies.

Source