Florida governor declares state of emergency due to Hurricane Ian

Florida officials have urged residents in less protected coastal areas to prepare for the anticipated arrival of potentially dangerous Hurricane Ian.

Governor Ron Desantis has already declared a state of emergency throughout the state of Florida, urging all state residents to begin preparing for the storm now. The governor has also asked the Biden administration to declare a federal state of emergency before the hurricane makes landfall, which will provide additional funding to local authorities and put the National Guard on alert.

The hurricane could hit south Florida late Monday night or Tuesday. According to the National Hurricane Center, the tropical storm is first expected to hit Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands. It is then expected to intensify and become a hurricane after making contact with the Florida coast.

An official in Monroe County, whose administrative center is Key West Island, the southernmost point in the United States, told the Miami Herald that local authorities had not yet made an evacuation decision but might reassess the situation.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez held a news conference Friday to warn residents about the approaching hurricane, which will intensify over the weekend.

Sarasota Mayor Eric Arroyo told CNN that the city had contacted the state’s main power provider and urged residents to prepare for a natural disaster.

“Be proactive, see your doctor, make sure you stock up on medication,” he said. – Make small supplies of water, basic necessities.”