Towns in Florida were flooded but there were no casualties

The rise in water levels was rapid in some citiesGovernor Ron DeSantis told a news conference that the state has not yet reported any deaths.

In the town of Berry, on the Idalia Trail, dozens of trees were snapped by the winds. While municipal employees try to clear the streets, residents see the damage.

A pine tree fell on the home of John Calschmidt, 76, who said he had a “frightening” experience. “It was worse than we expected,” he says. “But that’s life in Florida. You have to get used to that kind of thing.”

The waves are more than 2 meters high

A little further away, in Steinhatchee, a small coastal town of 1,000 people, the main street is flooded, almost deserted, and appears to be an extension of the nearby river. Patrick Boland barricaded himself in his house rather than vacate it, and he doesn’t regret his choice. “Trees fell in front of my house but otherwise the house survived. Everything is fine,” the 73-year-old explains, looking relieved.

Other towns saw water levels rise quickly, such as Cedar Key on the coast, which reported waves more than two meters high, a record level for the region. In some places, such as Tampa, floods forced residents to move carrying their belongings on their heads, or even in kayaks.

Despite the damage, authorities seem to believe the worst has been avoided. “We are saved and blessed,” Levy County Sheriff Robert McCallum said. State Governor Ron DeSantis said some of the affected areas had “never been hit by a major hurricane before.”

500 thousand homes without electricity

But President Joe Biden noted that we must “remain vigilant” as the storm continues its path across the southeastern United States. Nearly 300,000 homes were without power on Wednesday in Florida and more than 200,000 homes in Georgia, according to the specialized website Poweroutage.us.

“Idalia is the strongest storm to make landfall in this part of Florida in more than 100 years,” said Deane Criswell, head of the Federal Disaster Response Agency, adding that 1,500 federal personnel had been deployed.

She said US President Joe Biden spoke again on Wednesday with Mr DeSantis, a candidate like him for the presidency in 2024, to show his support and coordinate the federal response.

Tampa International Airport, closed due to the hurricane, is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday afternoon, while flights on the East Coast of the United States have been halted, in the grip of another hurricane, Franklin, coming from the Atlantic Ocean.