Ian now a Category 4 hurricane as it approaches southwestern Florida
Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified off Florida's southwest coast Wednesday morning, gaining top winds of 250 kilometres per hour, just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status. Damaging winds and rain lashed the state's heavily populated Gulf Coast, with the Naples to Sarasota regions at "highest risk" of a devastating storm surge.
The major hurricane has prompted warnings of possibly dangerous storm surge along the state's heavily populated Gulf Coast from Bonita Beach to the Tampa Bay region. The most damaging winds could hit a rapidly developing coastline where the population has jumped sevenfold since 1970, according to the U.S. census, which shows Lee County has seen the eighth-largest population growth among more than 180 Atlantic and Gulf coast counties in the past 50 years.There were 250,000 people in the Fort Myers/Lee County mandatory evacuation zones, and authorities worried ahead of the storm how many would leave.
Winds exceeding tropical-storm strength of 63 km/h reached Florida by 3 a.m., and hurricane-force winds were recorded in Florida by 6 a.m., well in advance of the storm's eyewall moving inland, the Miami-based centre said.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Hurricane Ian strikes Cuba, Florida braces for winds, floodsFlorida\u0027s Gulf Coast residents on Tuesday boarded up homes and packed up their vehicles as Hurricane Ian drew near.
Read more »
Ian powers up to a Category 4 hurricane as it nears FloridaForecasters say Hurricane Ian has become an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm as it approaches Florida’s west coast.
Read more »
Ian just shy of a Category 5 hurricane as it nears FloridaHurricane Ian rapidly intensified off Florida's southwest coast Wednesday morning, gaining top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status.
Read more »
Ian just shy of a Category 5 hurricane as it nears FloridaHurricane Ian rapidly intensified off Florida's southwest coast Wednesday morning, gaining top winds of 250 kph, just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status. Damaging winds and rain lashed the state's heavily populated Gulf Coast, with the Naples to Sarasota region at 'highest risk' of a devastating storm surge.
Read more »
Hurricane Ian nears Cuba on path to strike Florida as Category 4 – Terrace Standard‘Please treat this storm seriously. It’s the real deal. This is not a drill’
Read more »