Linemen have already restored power to an estimated 420,000 homes since then-Hurricane Idalia’s landfall Wednesday morning, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced Thursday.
“Less than 24 hours after landfall, our utility linemen have already restored power to 420,000 homes that lost power,” DeSantis announced.
“We are working with @DukeEnergy & @insideFPL to surge resources into the hardest hit areas to get the 140,000 homes that remain without power back up and running,” he added.
Less than 24 hours after landfall, our utility linemen have already restored power to 420,000 homes that lost power.
We are working with @DukeEnergy & @insideFPL to surge resources into the hardest hit areas to get the 140,000 homes that remain without power back up and running.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 31, 2023
As of 12:45 p.m. Eastern, 135,080 customers were out of power in the Sunshine State. Most were counties in the Big Bend region, where Idalia made landfall as a strong Category 3 storm and made its way to southern Georgia and beyond. Suwannee County appears to have the highest number of customers without power — 23,274. Neighboring Columbia County has 19,230 customers out of power.
WATCH — POWER UP! Tallahassee Power Crew Fixes Downed Power Lines
City of Tallahassee via Storyful
Prior to the storm’s landfall, DeSantis said the state had 25,000 linemen stationed and “more on the way,” ultimately estimating between 30,000 and 40,000 ready to respond.
“HOLY COW!…Water Just Keeps Comin’”: First-Person View of Hurricane Idalia’s Destruction
Michael Presley Bobbitt / WEATHER TRAKER /TMX
DeSantis also announced Wednesday evening that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) was able to “clear all state bridges, including the Cedar Key Bridge.”
“This is an important step in recovery and will allow first responders, law enforcement, utility linemen and supplies to come onto the island,” he said.
In less than 12 hours after Hurricane #Idalia made landfall, FDOT was able to clear all state bridges, including the Cedar Key Bridge.
This is an important step in recovery and will allow first responders, law enforcement, utility linemen and supplies to come onto the island.— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) August 31, 2023
The update follows Idalia’s impact, which primarily occurred Wednesday as it made landfall near Keaton Beach in the Florida Big Bend around 7:45 a.m., creating massive storm surges, snapping trees, and damaging homes and buildings all along its path.
WATCH — Hurricane Idalia Leaves Treasure Island Homes, Businesses DAMAGED with Floodwater
City of Treasure Island via Storyful
Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis is among those who shared images of the destruction, as a 100-year-old tree snapped in half on the Governor’s Mansion
100 year old oak tree falls on the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee — Mason, Madison, Mamie and I were home at the time, but thankfully no one was injured.
Our prayers are with everyone impacted by the storm. pic.twitter.com/l6MOE8wNMC
— Casey DeSantis (@CaseyDeSantis) August 30, 2023
Dangerous storm surge continues in Cedar Key, FL with strong westerlies on the backside of Hurricane Idalia. Here is the peak storm surge: https://t.co/f8e4XOlvKa pic.twitter.com/WgWYjheu3z
— Reed Timmer, PhD (@ReedTimmerAccu) August 30, 2023
NEW: Howard Frankland Bridge linking Tampa to St Pete #Idalia pic.twitter.com/XXTNVEZVK2
— Jeff Butera (@BayNews9Jeff) August 30, 2023
In the eye of Idalia in Perry! pic.twitter.com/MzvJSpHwHK
— Mike’s Weather Page (@tropicalupdate) August 30, 2023
Idalia has since been downgraded to a tropical storm off the coast of the Carolinas. The National Hurricane Center’s (NHC) 11:00 a.m. Thursday update predicts rain will “be diminishing by early afternoon from coastal North Carolina into far southeast Virginia.”
11 am EDT Thursday, August 31 Key Messages for Tropical Storm #Idalia. Moderate river flooding, strong winds, and coastal flooding will continue across eastern North Carolina through today.https://t.co/GvgWAnNJPz pic.twitter.com/PhwfnDgJSo
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 31, 2023
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