After Carolinas, Georgia (south-east) and Florida’s Big Bend suffered the landfall of category-3 hurricane on Wednesday, Idalia reverted back to a tropical storm leaving everything flooded and submerged under water covering area over several hundred miles.
As per the National Hurricane Center’s afternoon updates – “Flash and river flooding is likely across Georgia and the eastern Carolinas through Thursday.”Â
Ron DeSantis, Governer of Florida warned the raiders while following up the conditions of the suffered areas. He said, the most impacted areas are now full of destruction and property damages, and suspected looting activities.
The center of Idalia was recorded about 20 miles southwest from Myrtle Beach in Carolina while the storm moved towards north-east with a speed of 21 mph. Wind speed was recorded about 60 mph.
Gov. DeSantis shared that he has informed the law and state’s emergency departments to look after and protect resident’s properties. While he added, “People have a right to defend their property. In this part of Florida, you have got a lot of advocates and proponents of the 2nd Amendment, I’ve seen signs in different people’s yards in the past after these disasters written, ‘You loot, we shoot.’ You never know what’s behind that door.”
The Hurricane Center updated about dropping down all emergency alerts as Idalia cut down into a storm on Wednesday while heading towards North and North-eastern South Carolina.
While the Governor warned the looters of their actions saying – “You go break into somebody’s house, and you’re trying to loot, these are people that are going to be able to defend themselves and their families. We are going to hold you accountable from a law of enforcement perspective at a minimum, and could even be worse than that, depending on what’s behind that door.”Â
Further DeSantis added, “We are not going to tolerate any looing in the aftermath of a natural disaster. I mean, it’s just ridiculous that you would try to do something like that on the heels of an almost Category-4 hurricane hitting this community.”
The authorities, rescue teams, state officials and National guardsmen are working on protecting the people and their properties while continuous rescue operations are being held. The damage caused is very high. Reports show, after Idalia hit Georgia and Carolina, conditions went worst followed by trees falling, leaving vehicles and houses destroyed.
Kevin Guthrie, director (Florida Department of Emergency Management) said, Big Bend being a remote area, will take time to complete the operations. “You may have two houses on a 5-mile road so it’s going to take some time,” Kevin added.
Conditions in Valdosta, Georgia faced breaking and uprooting of trees carried along the wind where one man died from a tree fall while helping carry away another tree from the road, reported – Ashley Paulk (Sheriff, Lowndes County).
White House stated, President Joe Biden contacted governors of Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina while assuring them complete support from the administration.