A state of emergency has been declared in Florida as Tropical Storm Ian heads for the US coast and is expected to become a major hurricane.
Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded an earlier warning on Saturday to cover the entire state and urged people to prepare for the landfall.
He activates the state’s National Guard and releases emergency funds.
“This storm has the potential to develop into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to be prepared,” the governor said.
“We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to monitor the potential impacts of this storm.”
The approaching storm also postponed another attempt scheduled for Tuesday to launch NASA’s Artemis lunar mission from Kennedy Space Center.
NASA Director Jim Free tweeted that a decision was imminent on whether to ‘roll back’ the rocket from the launch pad to its assembly building
President Biden has also declared a state of emergency to allow federal agencies to coordinate relief and provide aid.
Storm Ian is expected to “rapidly strengthen” on Sunday as it tracks toward Cuba before making landfall on the Florida coast in the middle of next week, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of 5 a.m. local time on Sunday, it was southeast of Jamaica, with winds currently only 50 mph.
It’s unclear which parts of Florida will be hardest hit, but residents of Pinellas Park, near Tampa, lined up at a Home Depot store when it opened at 6 a.m. Saturday.
The Tampa Bay Times reported that he had sold 600 cases of water by early afternoon. Electricity generators were also running out and people were buying plywood to cover their windows.
Canada is also dealing with the effects of a tropical storm after Fiona hit the country’s Atlantic coast on Saturday.
A home near Port aux Basques after Tropical Storm Fiona hit Canada
Troops were sent to help after a few the houses were washed away by wind and waves, roofs torn off and electricity cut off in more than half a million homes.
There have been no confirmed deaths or injuries.
